The Music Chronicles: A Yuri on Ice collection
by Adilarose
Summary: A collection of Yuri's performances set to different songs. Some of these stories may contain bits of Yaoi, so if you don't like reading these kinds of things, kindly bypass this collection, otherwise please leave a review and let me know what you think. Rated T for safety. Primarily YurixViktor pairings with some appearances by other characters.
1. On My Own

_I do not own Yuri on Ice or its characters, nor do I own 'On My Own' by Ashes Remain...enjoy!_

* * *

I touched down in the airport of my hometown of Hasetsu. I dragged myself down to the lower level to collect my luggage, my mind numb.

After collecting my luggage, I left the airport, ready to hail a cab to take me home to the firestorm that was awaiting me.

It was a silent ride home, at least on my end. My driver, a kindly older man, chatted animatedly as he drove. "You were fantastic, Yuri! We all cheered our hearts out for you!" he said, looking in the rear-view mirror. I was silent, my eyes burning as tears formed and silently rolled down my face. I pulled my hood up, to hide my emotions from the kindly driver.

"Here we are, Yuri! Things will get better, don't you worry! Say hi to your folks for me!" he said as he took off.

Taking a deep breath, I walked through the gate and up to the main door of our family's hot spring. "I'm back," I mumbled as I took my shoes off and left them at the door.

"Ah, Yuri! Welcome home my son!" my mom cried as she wrapped me in her arms and squeezed. "Why don't you go and say hi to Vicchan and go soak in the hot spring?"

Silently I nodded, stopping to take my luggage to my room. My eyes burning, I went to the back of the house to say hi to an old friend. "Hi Vicchan, I am so sorry I have been gone so long. I'm so sorry I wasn't here to say goodbye," I said, as tears poured down my face. I sat there in silence for a long time, tears running down my face, before standing and wiping my eyes on my sleeve.

I slowly walked back to my room to gather my backpack, needing out of the suffocating house even though I had just arrived home.

"I'll be back," I said, slipping my shoes on and walking out the door.

My mom smiled, knowing exactly where I was headed. "Take all the time you need. You'll be ok, son," she whispered as she cleaned the glasses behind the counter.

At the rink

"Free skate was closed an hour ago," said a bored voice as I walked through the door.

"I'm sorry Yuko-san. I'll come back," I mumbled, staring at the floor.

The girl behind the counter looked up. "Yuri! Why didn't you say something?! You always have free range here! And, for the record, you can call me Yu-chan!" she said, smiling.

"Thanks Yuko-chan," I mumbled as I headed to the locker room.

In the locker room

I took my skates and my Ipod from my backpack before stuffing it unceremoniously into my locker. I sat in the silent locker room stretching, lost in my thoughts.

Once I was loosened up, I made my way to the practice arena.

In the arena

As it had been for a while, the arena was silent and empty, just what I needed.

I hooked up my Ipod to the speakers, searching for one song in particular, _On my Own_ by the American band Ashes Remain.

I glided to the center of the ice, as the music filtered through the speakers.

I got lost in the music, my eyes burning as I skated.

 _There's gotta be another way out_

 _I've been stuck in a cage with my doubt_

 _Ever since the Grand Prix Finals last year, I have been in a slump, doubt clouding my abilities,_ I thought, as I skated.

 _I've tried forever getting out on my own._

 _But every time I do this my way_

 _I get caught in the lies of the enemy_

 _I have tried desperately to break free of this doubt, but each time I do, I get caught up again in the fear of failure,_ I thought as I launched off the ice, landing a Quadruple loop like it was nothing.

 _I lay my troubles down_

 _I'm ready for you now_

 _Maybe if I had…no! he would never come here! Why would he want to bother with someone like me,_ I thought, as my mind fluttered to one person. I mentally slapped the idea away, knowing that it would never happen, even in my wildest dreams.

 _Bring me out_

 _Come and find me in the dark now_

 _Viktor, someone…anyone, please! Come and rescue me from the darkness! Show me the light again, and help me find my love of skating again,_ I silently pleaded to my idol, knowing that he would never hear me and I would never find the light again.

 _Everyday by myself I'm breaking down_

 _I don't wanna fight alone anymore_

Tears cascaded down my face, I was unable to hold them back anymore. _I'm sick of being alone. I don't want to fight the loneliness anymore, but each day I fight, I can feel myself breaking down more and more. Soon, there will be nothing left,_ I thought.

I launched myself off the ice again, landing the Triple flip combination that I was unable to land during the finals.

 _Bring me out_

 _From the prison of my own pride_

 _My God,_

 _I need a hope I can't deny_

 _In the end I'm realizing I was never meant to fight on my own_

 _What am I thinking? I haven't really been alone! I have my family, and the great friends that I have made through skating! They have always been behind me, supporting me all the way, even though I failed the finals,_ I thought, an idea suddenly hitting me.

 _Every little thing that I've known is everything I need to let go_

 _You're so much bigger than the world I have made_

 _So I surrender my soul_

 _I'm reaching out for your hope_

 _I lay my weapons down_

 _I'm ready for you now_

 _I need to let go of everything that happened at the finals. All I can do is turn my eyes to the horizon and pour my soul into what could potentially be my last season. I am ready for whatever is thrown at me,_ I thought, renewed determination coursing through my body.

I launched off the ice, landing a perfect Quadruple toe loop, something I never used to be able to do.

 _I don't wanna be incomplete_

 _I am sick of feeling incomplete. Skating is my life, and I will not let a devastating defeat crush me,_ I thought.

 _I remember what you said to me_

 _I don't have to fight alone_

Flashback

" _You aren't alone, Yuri-kun. You have your family, your friends…and you have me," my coach said gently, his arm around me as I hung my head, having just received my results._

 _Silently, I stood, unable to listen anymore. My mind and body were numb, knowing that I had not only let down my family, but also the people back home that were counting on me to bring home a victory for Japan._

I shook the memory from my mind, determined not to let it knock me down anymore.

I glided to a stop, my heart thundering in my chest as the music faded to a close.

"YURI, THAT WAS AMAZING!" shrieked Yuko-chan, tears pouring down her face. I didn't realize it at the time, but I had attracted an audience while I was skating.

"Where did those emotions come from? I thought you were depressed about losing," she said, as she wiped her eyes on her sleeve.

"I just channeled the defeat from the finals. I was sick of being depressed and used it to fuel my only creative outlet," I shrugged.

"Yuri, that was awesome!" Lutz said, popping up from behind the railing.

"Thanks again Yuko-chan for letting me come after hours. I definitely owe you one," I mumbled as I took off my skates and stuffed them into my backpack.

"Nah, you know you have free reign here. You can come whenever you need an escape," she said softly, hugging me.

I smiled sadly and set off for home, feeling a little better than I did when I arrived at the rink. Little did I know that my emotional release had been posted for the world, and, for that matter, my idol, to see.

At Yuko's home

"What in the world were you three thinking?!" shrieked Yuko-chan, as Lutz, Axel and Loop covered their ears.

"Mom, what's the big deal?" Lutz asked, not taking her eyes from the laptop screen.

"'The big deal' is that Yuri came to the rink to be alone and to let off some steam, and here you film him and turn around and post it for the world to see!" shrieked Yuko-chan.

"The world has to see that he is still skating, even after the devastation at the finals," Axel said casually.

"What am I going to do with you?! You three had better take that down before Yuri comes unglued," Yuko-chan warned as she stomped out of the room, leaving the girls to their doings.

"Are we going to take it down?" Loop pondered.

Grinning, the girls shook their heads. "Nope!" they whispered quietly.

In St. Petersburg

Viktor was lounging on the couch, scrolling through social media, when a video popped up.

"Hmm, I wonder what this is," he muttered, clicking on the video entitled, _On my Own._ He watched as the young man in the video skated to the music, his emotions poured onto the ice.

"My god, this boy has talent," Viktor mumbled as his eyes began to burn, watching the boy with rapt attention.

Right then, Viktor sat up, his mind made up. _I will train this boy, and take him all the way to the Grand Prix Finals,_ he thought as he booked his flight to Hasetsu, making arrangements for his home and belongings.

* * *

 _Read and review...let me know what you think. This may turn into a collection, as I have so many new ideas bouncing around :)_


	2. Without You

_Disclaimer: I don't own Yuri on Ice or "Without You" by My Darkest Days...Enjoy :)_

* * *

I was laying on the couch in Viktor's office, one earbud in my ear and Maccachin curled up over my feet, watching as he typed on his computer, no doubt answering the millions of emails he received on a daily basis.

I smiled to myself, watching him work, thinking, _always the busy worker, never taking a day for himself._

The song I was listening to faded to a close as the next one came on, which happened to be one of my favorite songs, _Without You_ by the Canadian band, My Darkest Days.

I closed my eyes, listening to the lyrics, each word hitting close to home. Suddenly, I bolted upright whirling to set my feet on the office floor, sending poor Maccachin flying across the room. "Ah! Sorry Maccachin!" I said, as the poor dog ran under Viktor's desk.

"Aibou, what is it?" Viktor asked as he looked up from his laptop, his brow furrowed at my sudden outburst.

"An idea just hit me for my next free skate program! I can't tell you what it is though, it's a surprise! I'll see you tonight!" I said breathless, as I pecked him on the cheek and ran out the door.

"Silly boy," he muttered, shaking his head and smiling as he went back to work, Maccachin curled up at his feet.

At the rink

"Hey Yuri-kun! Long time, no see!" Yuko-chan exclaimed as I ran through the door, my Ipod in my hand.

"Y-Yuko-chan! I know you are closed, but can I practice here today? I have a new idea for a free skate program!" I said, breathless.

"Yuri-kun, do you really have to ask? What's this new idea of yours? A new masterpiece thought up by you and Viktor, no doubt," Yuko-chan said, grinning.

I shook my head. "Not this time, this one is all me! The idea hit me out of the blue, and I want to surprise Viktor at the next competition," I said, grinning.

I could see Yuko-chan's face light up with mischief, as she said, "the rink is all yours Yuri! If he tries to come in, I'll send him away."

I laughed, knowing fully well that she wouldn't hesitate to send him away. "He can come into the building, but you have to keep him away from the rink I'm in. I don't want him to see it until it's perfect," I said, as I headed to the locker room to get ready.

In the locker room

I pulled my skates out of my backpack, before stuffing it into my locker, pausing to look at the photos I had taped to the inside of the door, smiling at the memories that came flooding back. I shook my head, grinning from ear to ear as I closed my locker door.

In the arena

"Hey Yuri! What are you doing here?" asked Loop, as she looked up.

"Hi Loop-kun, it's good to see you! Hey, can you hook this up to the speakers and press play for me when I give you the signal?" I asked, handing her my Ipod.

"Sure! Is this a new piece that you and Viktor cooked up for the next competition?" she asked, as I set my jacket and glasses on the railing.

"Nah, this one is all on me this time. It's a surprise for Viktor," I grinned, as I glided out to the center of the ice. "Ok, Loop, ready when you are!"

"'Kay!" she called, pressing play on my Ipod. The opening notes broke the serene silence of the arena.

I lost myself in the music, forgetting that Loop and, for that matter, everyone else in the building dropped everything to come and watch once the music started.

As the music came to a close, I glided to a stop, my heart pounding in my chest. Suddenly I was snapped back to reality as the arena exploded in applause and cheering.

"YURI THAT WAS AMAZING!" Takeshi shouted, pumping his fist in the air.

"VIKTOR WILL LOVE IT!" Yuko-chan screamed, her eyes sparkling.

 _I can only hope he will love it,_ I thought as I glided over to the others. My heart was pounding, but all I could think about was how Viktor will react when he sees what I had done.

One month later

"Welcome figure skating fans, to the Japan Figure Skating Championships! Today, we have the best and brightest stars competing for a place in the national championship!" announced Takamura Sanoske.

"That's right, Sanoske-san! All morning we have been watching as these stars rehearse, and, let me tell you, boy are you in for a show! All eyes are on Katsuki Yuri, the 23-year-old from Hasetsu and his coach Viktor Nikiforov. Under Viktor's coaching, Yuri has beaten every personal best score that he has received since setting foot on the ice. I wonder what they have in store for us today," mused Otakura Rina.

My heart pounded in my chest, and my mind raced as I stretched, my earbuds pressed firmly in my ears.

"Lyubov moya, _relax_ , you will be fine," Viktor said gently, as he put his arms around me from behind. "I'm sure whatever you have been working on will be brilliant."

"I hope you will like it, Aibou. I have been working so hard on making it perfect, that I am scared I will mess up," I whispered, my body shaking.

Viktor tightened his grip, and whispered, "Lyubov moya, listen to me: forget the crowd. Forget the competition! Pretend that you are back at the rink, and it's just the two of us. Skate for yourself…and skate for me," he whispered, spinning me around gently. He pressed a gentle kiss to my lips, as Sanoske-san said my name.

"It's time, Lyubov moya. Go get 'em," he said with a smile, his hands interlaced with mine.

I pulled him close, looking him in the eyes, and said, "don't ever take your eyes off of me!" I kissed him before entering the ice.

I took my place in the center of the ring, as the music began to play.

"This is the first routine of its kind, ladies and gentlemen. Skaters usually choose instrumental music or light music to perform to," Sanoske-san muttered.

"That's right Sanoske-san. Rumor has it that Katsuki Yuri choreographed this as a surprise for his coach," Rina-san muttered. "We will see how the judges feel about this break from tradition."

 _If I had my way,_

 _I'd spend every day right by your side_

 _That's right! I would spend every waking moment with Viktor if I could. As it is, the only time that I really see him is in practice. Other than that, he spends his time working in the office,_ I thought.

Flashback

" _Aibou_ _!_ _Why don't you take a break from work? Maccachin could use some fresh air, we all could!" I said, sitting up from my place on the couch._

" _I would,_ _Lyubov moya_ _, but I have tons of things to do in order to get ready for next season. I can go with you both later though," he muttered, as he continued to type, his fingers flying across the keyboard._

 _I sighed as I stood up. "Come on, Maccachin, let's go for a run," I muttered, as I left the office, Maccachin trailing happily behind me._

 _And if I could stop time,_

 _Believe me I'd try for you and I_

 _I really wish I could stop time, so that I could keep Viktor as my coach, and my partner forever,_ I thought, as I got ready for my first quad.

"Here comes his first quad, a Quadruple Toe Loop, Triple Salcow combination," Rina-san muttered.

"In the past, Katsuki Yuri has only been able to land this combination once. Will he be able to do it again?" Sanoske-san asked the crowd at large.

 _I will_ _prove_ _that I can land it!_ I thought _,_ grinning to myself. I launched, spinning in the air, earning a gasp from everyone in the arena.

"Excellent!" Rina-san exclaimed, as the crowd cheered.

 _Where did that come from?_ Viktor thought, as he watched me with rapt attention.

 _And each moment you're gone,_

 _Is a moment too long in my life_

 _So stay right here, right now_

Flashback

" _Do you really have to go? Six months is too long!" I whined, as Viktor stood in our room packing his bag._

" _Lyubov moya_ , _don't worry! I will be back before you know it! I just have to go and settle Yakov's estate and the matters of his students and I will be back. You won't even notice I'm gone," he chuckled, as he wrapped his arms around me._

" _Still, I wish you would stay. It's too quiet around here without you," I mumbled, looking down at the floor._

 _Viktor shook his head, and took my chin gently in his hand. "Yuri,_ _Lyubov moya_ _, everything will be ok. I will be back soon, I promise," he whispered, as he leaned in to kiss me._

 _He put his bag over his shoulder, and, flashing that smile that I love so much, left the house to catch his cab._

 _That night, I sat in the office, sobbing my eyes out, Maccachin watching from his place on the floor. Suddenly, Maccachin began to bark, darting out of the office and down the stairs._

" _Maccachin, where are you off to?" I sniffled, as I wiped my eyes and followed him down the stairs._

 _I stopped dead in my tracks. "Vi-Viktor?!" I asked, tears welling in my eyes again._

" _Ah,_ _Lyubov moya_ _, did you miss me?" he asked, turning slowly to face me, his bag lying forgotten on the floor._

" _You came back!" I sobbed as I ran into his arms._

 _He smiled, saying, "Yes,_ _Lyubov moya,_ _I came back. I couldn't bear the thought of leaving you for so long. So, do you forgive me?"_

 _I shook my head and leaned in, whispering, "of course I forgive you!"_

I smiled as the memory came flooding back, remembering that if he ever had to leave, that he would always come back to me.

 _'Cause without you I'm a disaster_

 _(the moment you go)_

 _That's right, I am a disaster without Viktor! Even when he is away on business I fall apart without him to hold me together,_ I thought as another memory came flooding back.

Flashback

 _It was the Kyushu Competition, and Viktor was leaving again on business._

" _I'll be back in a few days," he said, pecking me on the cheek as he climbed into the cab that was to take him to the airport. I waved sadly, Maccachin by my side._

 _That week was the week of the Kyushu Competition my first competition without Viktor by my side. In the end, I finished in Fourth place. My heart sank, knowing that Viktor would be furious._

 _And you're my ever after_

 _(Just thought you should know)_

 _But, it hasn't been all bad,_ I thought as I smiled. _I finally found my ever after, I found it as soon as Viktor told me the reason why he came to Hasetsu to be my coach._

 _'Cause I need to know your answer_

 _(Just say you'll stay with me)_

I looked up into the crowd and locked eyes with Viktor, silently passing him a message. I could tell from the ring that his eyes were wide, he knew the message I was sending him. _I need to know: will you stay once the season is over? Or are you going back to Russia?_ I thought, clinging onto the hope that he wouldn't leave me.

 _I want you to say you're gonna stay with me_

 _(Just say you'll stay with me)_

 _I just want to know that, at the end of the season, you will stay with me. Just tell me you are going to stay here with me,_ I thought desperately, as my eyes started to burn.

"Here comes another combination!" Sanoske-san excitedly mumbled.

 _I die every day that you're away from me_

I launched off the ice, spinning, and landing, grinning from ear to ear.

"Another flawless combination by Katsuki Yuri!" exclaimed Rina-san as the crowd once again erupted in thunderous applause.

"He might have this completion swept up in a first place medal after that combination!" cried Sanoske-san.

I looked up, and once again, locked eyes with Viktor, who was watching with rapt attention, his eyes welling with tears.

I closed my eyes, losing myself once more in the music, knowing that the crowd was hanging onto my every move.

 _So just say you'll promise me,_

 _Please, take me if you ever leave_

 _My heart breaks with every beat,_

 _I die every day that you're away from me_

I ended my performance, my hand outstretched towards Viktor, my heart pounding in my chest and mind racing.

You could hear a pin drop, before the crowd erupted with thunderous applause and cheers that could be heard as far as way as Tokyo.

I turned and greeted the audience, unaware that Viktor was sprinting from his place in the Coach's box to the place that I would leave the ice.

Grinning to myself, I left the ice. "Yuri!" Viktor called, as he reached the exit.

Ignoring the continuous applause, and everyone else in the arena, I skated as fast as I could towards Viktor, who had launched himself into my arms, kissing me passionately.

"Lyubov moya, that was flawless!" he whispered as he held me in his arms, his beautiful blue eyes sparkling.

"I'm glad you liked my performance Aibou, but aren't you angry I went behind your back and choreographed my own performance?" I asked, afraid of the answer that he would give me.

"Yuri, look at me. I'm not angry, in fact, I am incredibly proud of you. That was flawless, the best performance I have ever seen," he whispered.

He stood, and offered his hand. I took it, standing carefully and left the ice, hand in hand with the man I love most in this world.

We waited with baited breath for my scores, his arms still around my shoulders. I covered my ears and hung my head, unable to take the pressure.

"The scores for Katsuki Yuri are…A PERFECT SCORE!" bellowed Sanoske-san, as the crowd erupted for the millionth time.

Viktor's head shot up as he turned to face me. Gently, he took my hands from my ears and took my chin in his hand. "You see, Lyubov moya, they loved your performance! They love you as much as I do," Viktor said as he hugged me, tears rolling down his face.

As we left the rink at the end of the event, my first place medal around my neck, Viktor stopped and turned to me, a glimmer in his beautiful blue eyes.

"You asked a very important question in your performance Lyubov moya, and I realize that I haven't given you an answer," he said quietly.

I stopped dead in my tracks. _Oh, God! What is his answer?! Will he stay with me after the season?! Will he go home?! I can't handle this right now!_ I thought, as my mind raced and my heart thundered in my chest.

"As much as I look forward to going home…" he started. My heart sank as I hung my head, my eyes burning, knowing that he was about to say the words that I never wanted to hear, despite the fact that I asked the question.

"As much as I look forward to going home, I can't bring myself to do it. St. Petersburg is no longer my home. My home is here, with you and Maccachin, and, if you will say yes, I promise to never leave," he said softly.

My eyes snapped open, as I watched Viktor drop to one knee, a small open box in his hand.

"So, Lyubov moya, what do you say?" he asked, winking.

I dropped to my knees, throwing my arms around him, knocking the small box to the ground. "Yes…yes…my answer will always be yes," I whispered in his ear.

* * *

Translations:

Lyubov moya— My love (Russian)


	3. Into the Night

_I dont own Yuri on Ice, nor do I own the song "Into the Night" by Santana & Chad Kroger...enjoy :)_

* * *

Into the Night

Viktor was lounging in his office listening to the radio as he came up with new ideas for my next freestyle program, reviewing previous performances.

"Next up, is ' _Into the Night'_ by Santana and Chad Kroger," the radio DJ said as the song started to play.

Viktor sat up, the papers on his chest scattering across the floor. "That's it!" he shouted, swinging his legs around, startling Maccachin.

"What's it?" I asked as I came into the office, carrying two steaming cups of tea.

"I just came up with a brand-new idea for your next performance, Lyubov moya," Viktor said, pecking me on the cheek, accepting his cup.

"Well, I can't wait to perform it! I know it will be a huge success," I said with a smile as I leaned into Viktor.

In the rink

"Ok, Lyubov moya, I'm going to show you some things. Let me know what you think. Hit the music," Viktor said as he glided to the center of the ice.

He skated in time with the music, and, by the end, I was on my feet, completely enamored by the performance.

"Aibou, I love it! The crowd is going to go crazy!" I said, skating onto the ice, throwing my arms around Viktor.

"I'm glad you think so, Lyubov moya," he mumbled into my shoulder, smiling.

Several weeks later

"Up next is Katsuki Yuri, the 23-year-old skater from Japan. His coach is Viktor Nikiforov, the five-time Russian champion of the Grand Prix Final," said the announcer. "He will be skating to 'Into the Night' by Santana & Chad Kroger."

"You will do great, Lyubov moya. Pretend the crowd is not here, skate for yourself…and skate for me," Viktor whispered in my ear, pausing to gently kiss me.

"Don't ever take your eyes off of me," I whispered, as I leaned into Viktor and looked into his eyes.

"I won't, Lyubov moya," Viktor whispered. I glided to the center of the ice, and took position, my arms down and eyes closed.

The music started, the music all-too familiar to me. I grinned as I closed my eyes, losing myself in the music as I always do.

"This is the first routine of its kind," Sanoske-san muttered, as the music began to play.

"That's right, Sanoske-san. Skaters usually choose an instrumental piece of music to perform. It will be interesting to see how the judges and the crowd react to this break away from tradition," Katamara Yuki replied.

 _Like a gift from the heavens, it was easy to tell,_

 _It was love from above, that could save me from hell,_

 _It was Viktor that saved me from hell. If he hadn't have seen the video of me imitating him, who knows where I would be right now. Who knows if I would have ever fallen in love with someone? Who knows if I would have ever put my skates on again,_ I thought to myself, smiling as I skated in time with the music.

 _He had fire in his soul it was easy to see,_

 _He has that same fire in his soul that I saw in that video of him imitating my performance at the Grand Prix Finals,_ Viktor thought as he watched me, his eyes never leaving me.

 _Flashback_

 _Viktor was laying on the couch, Maccachin covering his feet. He had been scrolling through social media, reading the congratulatory wishes of his fans and fellow skaters when he came across a cellphone video._

" _Hmm…I wonder what this is about?" he wondered out loud, as he clicked on the video._

 _He watched the video, speechless. "Just who is Katskuki Yuri? Whoever he is, the boy has fire in his soul and talent from the skating gods," he mused as he sat back. It was at that moment that he decided, no matter who it was, that he had to train the boy._

Viktor smiled at the memory, as he continued to watch my performance.

 _How the devil himself could be pulled out of me,_

 _There were drums in the air as he started to dance,_

"Here comes his first quad, a Triple salcow, triple lutz combination," Sanoske-san said as a hush descended on the crowd.

I launched off the ice, spinning and landing without a flaw. "And he landed it! Very clean!" exclaimed Yuki-san in excitement.

 _Every soul in the room keeping time with their hands,_

I clapped in time with the music, the crowd following suit as they cheered.

 _And we sang..._

I smiled to myself, knowing that for the first time since Viktor came into the picture, I was having the time of my life, my love of skating flooding back to me.

 _Like a piece to the puzzle that falls into place,_

 _Ever since he appeared at my family's hot spring, it was as though everything fell into place. I got back into shape, and slowly I gained the confidence I needed to step back onto the ice. If it weren't for Viktor, I don't know where I would be,_ I thought, smiling as I scanned the coach's box for Viktor.

 _You could tell how we felt from the look on our faces,_

 _We were spinning in circles with the moon in our eyes,_

 _No room left to move in between you and I,_

 _We forgot where we were and we lost track of time,_

 _And we sang to the wind as we danced through the night,_

Flashback

" _Lyubov moya_ _, I have an alternative idea to practicing today!" Viktor said as I sat down at the kitchen table._

" _Oh yeah? What did you have in mind?" I asked, as I took a bite of the particularly tasty lunch that Viktor had prepared, Maccachin waiting eagerly for something to drop from my plate._

" _Ah,_ _Lyubov moya_ _, you will have to wait and see! I have a feeling you are going to love it!" Viktor said, winking as he took a sip of his tea._

 _I smiled and shook my head as we ate silence, knowing that whatever he had up his sleeve was going to be amazing._

That night

" _So you still won't to tell me where we are headed?" I asked, grinning._

 _He sat, silent as a brick wall, grinning from ear to ear. "Ah, you can drop us here!" he said to our driver, handing him a small stack of bills._

" _See you a bit later. Don't have too much fun now!" chuckled our driver as we climbed out of the cab. We stood before a huge building, music emanating from every open door. "So I lied when I said we are going to practice. Tonight is for letting loose and having fun," Viktor said grinning._

 _We entered the crowded club, my grip on Viktor's hand tightening. "What's the matter,_ _Lyubov moya_ _?" he asked as he turned to look at me, concern glittering in his eyes._

" _It's just…I've never been around this many people. It just makes me jumpy is all," I mumbled, staring at the floor._

 _Viktor gently took my chin in his hand, and whispered loud enough for me to hear, "Pretend that it's just you and me here. Just like you do in practice." He pecked me on the cheek as we moved through the sea of people._

" _Next up: 'Into the Night'," the DJ called as the crowd cheered._

 _Viktor took my hand, and gently dragged me onto the dance floor. "Pretend these people aren't here, Yuri. Focus on me, only me," Viktor whispered in my ear, as he felt my body shaking._

 _The two of us danced to the music, as though we were the only ones in the crowded club. Viktor took me in his arms, no room between us. We spun as though we were skating on ice. The two of us lost ourselves in the music, oblivious and uncaring that all eyes in that club were on us._

 _As I spun back to Viktor, I could see the love he held for me in his eyes, and he could see the same in mine._

 _And we sang..._

I smiled at the memory as I launched off the ice, landing the Quadruple loop we added to the routine at the last minute.

"And he lands the combination! This might be a personal best for Katsuki Yuri!" explained Yuki-san as the crowd exploded.

 _Ay oh ay oh ay oh ay,_

 _And the voices rang like the angels sing,_

 _We're singing..._

 _Ay oh ay oh ay oh ay,_

 _And we danced on into the night,_

 _Ay oh ay oh,_

 _Ay oh ay oh,_

 _And we danced on into the night,_

 _Ay oh ay oh,_

 _Ay oh ay oh,_

 _And we danced on into the night,_

I glided to a stop as the music faded away. The crowd exploded into thunderous applause and cheers that could be heard in Tokyo.

I greeted the audience, grinning from ear to ear and, after a few moments of soaking up the adoration of the crowd, left the ice.

"Lyubov moya, that was fantastic!" Viktor said, as he wrapped his arms around me.

"The scores for Katsuki Yuri are as follows…A PERFECT SCORE!" roared Sanoske-san as the crowd exploded again.

"You never cease to amaze me, Yuri," Viktor said tenderly as he kissed me. My heart thundered in my chest…a perfect score. That is unheard of, yet I somehow made it happen…. all thanks to Viktor. All thanks to the man that I love the most in this world.

* * *

Translations:

Lyubov moya-My love (Russian)


	4. Footprints in the Sand

_I don't own Yuri on Ice, nor do I own Footprints in the Sand by Leona Lewis...enjoy!_

* * *

It was a month before another major competition, and we were putting the finishing touches on the free-skate program that I was going to perform.

"Ok, lyubov moya, watch me and let me know what you think about the changes we made," Viktor said as he glided to the center of the ice. He stood with his eyes closed and his hand over heart as the music filtered through the speakers.

I watched with rapt attention as he moved in time with the music, my heart pounding. As the music built, I could feel his emotions being poured into the ice, my breath catching in my throat.

He glided to a stop as the music faded away. "What do you think?" he asked as he came over to the railing. Smiling from ear to ear, I said, "I can definitely do this."

I got to my feet and tightened my skates as I took to the ice. I stood with my eyes closed, as the music filtered lightly through the speakers.

 _Right, first combination is a Quadruple lutz_ , I thought as I launched off the ice, spinning in time with the music. As I landed, I felt a sickening crack as my ankle gave out from under me. I fell to the ice, my ankle searing in pain. "Lyubov moya!" Viktor shouted as he ran onto the ice and dropped to his knees next to me.

"Lyubov moya! Are you ok?!" he asked, his eyes welling as he stared at me.

"Don't worry, I'm ok, it's not the first time I haven't landed that jump," I chuckled weakly as I got to my feet. I collapsed to the ice again, unable to stand.

"You most certainly are not ok! Next stop: the ER," he said, concern in his voice.

I shook my head. "Aibou, I'm fine, really! I don't need a doctor," I said gently, smiling.

"Yuri, you can't stand without falling. Something clearly happened when you tried to land that combination. We are going to see a doctor. That's _final_ ," he said sternly, pulling his phone from his pocket.

After gathering our things together, he came and wrapped his arm around me, helping me out to the cab that was waiting for us.

At the ER

"So what's the verdict, Doc? I'm perfectly fine, right?" I asked, grinning, confident that Viktor was overreacting.

"Katsuki-san, I'm sorry to have to tell you this but you have a hairline fracture in your ankle. You are looking at a very long recovery time," the doctor said, his face grim.

I felt my heart sink through the floor as tears welled in my eyes, Viktor's hand tightening on my shoulder as the doctor proceeded to explain what I was facing. "This means Katsuki-san, no competitions for a while, not until you are completely healed. I expect to see you back here in a month for a progress report. Good luck to you both," the doctor said as he left the room.

The ER nurse wheeled me out to the front of the hospital, Viktor trailing closely behind her, my discharge papers clenched in his hand.

One month later

"Are you feeling up for practicing, lyubov moya?" Viktor asked as he came over to where I was seated.

I smiled and took the ice-pack from my ankle, anything to get out of that chair and back out on the ice. "I'm more than ready!" I said eagerly, lacing up my skates, my ankle throbbing painfully. I stepped (painfully) onto the ice as Viktor leaned against the railing, his eyes watching me like a hawk for any signs of pain or re-injury.

I stood with my eyes closed and my hand over my heart as the music filtered through the speakers.

 _It feels so good to be back on the ice! I have missed it so much since I was injured!_ I thought as I moved in time with the music. _Right, first up is that Quadruple Lutz!_

I launched off the ice right as the music reached its apex. As I landed, I collapsed, my ankle searing with pain. My heart sank, knowing that I still haven't healed in time for the competition in a few days.

"Lyubov moya!" Viktor shouted as he ran onto the ice and wrapped me in his arms. My eyes welled, knowing that this beautiful piece would be benched until I was completely healed, which, at this point, would take forever. "You can't perform with your ankle still causing you pain, but I do have another idea," he said.

I looked up into his eyes, still hopeful that this beautiful piece would live to see a competition.

At the competition

"Here we are at the Four Continents Competition. We have been watching as the skaters warm up before their performance, and let me tell you, you are in for a real show!" Sanoske-san said, turning to Katsuya Yamamoto.

"That's right Sanoske-san, we are definitely in for a great show. All eyes will be on Viktor Nikiforov the Russian champion who has taken to the ice once more. He is stepping in for Katsuki Yuri, who fractured his ankle in rehearsal. I can't help but wonder if he is up to snuff for this competition though, being gone for so long coaching Yuri," Katsuya-san said skeptically.

"All we can do is wait and see, Katsuya-san. Perhaps he will surprise us all," Sanoske-san replied.

I sat away from the others, my earbuds pressed firmly in my ears, my foot up on a chair with an ice-pack over my still-swollen ankle. After a while, I stood and, ignoring the pain shooting through my ankle, walked away to be alone for a while.

 _I can't afford to get worked up now! Come on, Yuri, calm down! I need to be there for him,_ I thought as I walked, trying to ignore the pain in my ankle.

"Lyubov moya, talk to me, what's wrong?" Viktor asked, wrapping his arms around me, gently turning me around to face him.

"I'm fine, Aibou, just really nervous for you, is all," I said, smiling weakly.

"Everything will be just fine, lyubov moya, I have all the faith in the world," he whispered, as he gently kissed my forehead before hugging me tightly.

"Next up is Viktor Nikiforov," Sanoske-san announced as the arena burst into thunderous applause.

My heart lurched in my chest, as we made our way to the railing. I bent to tighten his skates, and, as I stood up, I whispered in his ear the same encouragement that he gives me before every performance.

"Aibou, remember: pretend the crowd isn't here, pretend the judges and announcers aren't here. Skate for yourself…skate for me," I whispered in his ear as I kissed his forehead. He turned, pulling me close. "Don't ever take your eyes off of me," he whispered, kissing me as he took to the ice.

The music filtered through the speakers as I watched, my heart pounding for him.

"Viktor is skating to 'Footprints in the Sand' by the American artist Leona Lewis," Sanoske-san muttered as Viktor took off.

"Rumor has it that he took this piece after Katsuki Yuri was injured so as to give him a special message," muttered Katsuya-san.

 _You walked with me,  
Footprints in the sand,  
And helped me understand,  
Where I'm going_

 _Yes, lyubov moya, you walked with me as though we were footprints in the sand, and helped me to understand where I was going after I watched you perform to my performance,_ Viktor thought, a serene smile on his face.

"First up is a Quadruple Lutz, the same one that cost Katsuki Yuri this performance," muttered Katsuya-san as Viktor launched himself off the ice. I watched, breathless as he landed the combination flawlessly.

"And he nails it! A flawless combination!" exclaimed Sanoske-san as the crowd cheered.

 _You walked with me,  
When I was all alone,  
With so much unknown,  
Along the way,  
Then I heard you say_

 _Ever since I became your coach, you walked with me, lyubov moya. When I thought I was alone, with so many things unknown about my future in skating, you were there with me. I owe you my life, lyubov moya, and, by the end of this day, I will do exactly that,_ Viktor thought, as he scanned the crowd until he found me.

I jumped up out of my chair, the ice-pack laying forgotten on the floor, as a memory came flooding back to me.

Flashback

 _We were sitting on the sand, watching as the waves rolled in and out. I sat with my back against Viktor's chest, his arms wrapped around me, Maccachin curled up next to us on his favorite blanket._

" _Can I tell you something, Aibou?" I asked, as I looked behind me, smiling._

" _Of course! You don't have to ask, silly boy," he said grinning as he nuzzled my neck._

 _I pulled away from him, and turned around so that we were face to face. I took a deep breath, my heart pounding, and said,_

" _I promise you,  
I'm always there,  
When your heart is filled with sorrow,  
And despair, I'll carry you  
When you need a friend  
You'll find my footprints in the sand."_

 _He blinked, as tears welled in his eyes. "Lyubov moya, my sweet lyubov moya," he said, as he pulled me close, kissing me passionately._

I smiled at the memory, knowing that had set into stone everything that we had been feeling for one another up until then.

"His final combination is the signature combination that he performed at his final competition," Sanoske-san said, breathless, as Viktor launched himself off the ice.

"HE NAILED IT, ANOTHER FLAWLESS COMBINATION BY VIKTOR NIKIFOROV!" shouted Katsuya-san as the crowd roared.

 _When your heart is full of  
Sadness and despair, (and despair)  
I'll carry you when you need a friend. (I'll carry you)  
You'll find my footprints in the sand_

 _I know you will always be with me, lyubov moya, just as I will always be with you,_ Viktor said with a smile as he glided to a stop, his hand outstretched to where I was standing.

The crowd roared as he turned to greet the crowd. I walked to the exit gate, slowly at first, then broke into a sprint, ignoring the searing pain in my ankle.

He took one final bow and left the ice as the crowd continued to roar.

"Viktor! Will you be leaving coaching and coming back to the ice?" a reporter asked, thrusting her microphone into Viktor's face.

"I have not decided yet as to whether I will be leaving coaching any time soon," he replied coolly, as he walked passed the reporter. My heart sank, knowing in the back of my head that I am the one that is holding him back from returning to the world of skating that he loves so much.

"Viktor! That was breathtaking," I said as I threw myself into his arms, my heart still pounding at the thought of him leaving as my coach.

"I'm glad you thought so, lyubov moya. Sanoske-san was right when he said that there was a message in that performance, you know," he chuckled as we left the staging area.

Turning, I asked, "what was the message?" but when I saw what he had done, my heart stopped in my chest. In his hand was a small box, open to reveal the most beautiful piece of jewelry that I had ever seen.

"You have always been with me, lyubov moya, like footprints in the sand, and, if you would have me, I would like to make that permanent," he whispered. I dropped to my knees, throwing my arms around him.

"Yes…my answer is yes…it will always be yes!" I whispered as he slipped the ring on my finger and kissing me to the thunderous applause of everyone in the staging area.

Right then, I had my answer: he would never leave me, not for a million gold medals or for all the fans in the world.

* * *

Translations:

lyubov moya-my love (Russian)


	5. Baadaye

_I don't own the song Baadaye by Amos & Josh...just the character of Issa and the others that appear in this story. Perhaps one day we will see an African skater...enjoy!_

* * *

I sat in a stunned silence, my body shaking and my eyes burning. "Explain…explain to me how this is possible?" I whispered, staring at the floor.

"Issa…they were blindsided. They didn't have time to react, but I can tell you that they didn't suffer," Elewa said, taking the seat next to me. I stood, unable to hear anymore even though I asked Elewa to tell me again. "Issa-"

"Pole sana, Kocha Elewa, but I need to be alone for a while," I whispered as my eyes burned.

"Take as much time as you need, Issa. We are here for you," Elewa said softly.

I sprinted back to the classroom, and, not pausing to take a breath, I flung the door open, startling Mwalimu Elimisha and the rest of the class. "Bwana Issa, is everything alright?" Mwalimu asked, concern glinting in her eyes as my classmates stared at me.

I ignored her and the students, snatching my school bag off the back of my chair and roughly pushing the strap over my shoulder.

I turned to leave, but Daudi, my best friend, stopped me. "Bro, you ok?" Daudi hissed, grabbing my arm. I jerked my arm from his grip and sprinted from the classroom, slamming the door behind me.

I ran as fast as my legs could carry me to the front gate, not pausing when one of the security guards stopped me, grabbing my arm.

"Hey! What are you doin' out here? You're supposed to be in class, now you better head back that way before I send the Headmaster after your hide," he hissed, his grip on my arm tightening as I tried to jerk my arm free.

"Let him go, he has permission to leave," Elewa said, as he approached the guard.

"Pole sana, Kocha Elewa, but you don't have authority over this boy. He knows damn well that he has to have a parent let him leave. Come, boy, let's get you back," he said, turning and dragging me back towards the school.

I jerked my arm free from his grasp and sprinted for the gate, squeezing through the narrow gap and running from the grounds as fast as I could, ignoring the guard's demands for me to go back.

I didn't have a direction in mind, but my feet knew where I needed to go. I stopped, dropping to my knees, my heart pounding and my mind racing. I looked up to get my bearings, and ended up in my family's village, ten miles away from school.

I slowed to a walk, keeping my head down, pushing the strap of my school bag more securely on my shoulder. I wasn't supposed to be here, I was supposed to be in school, keeping my father's promise to study hard and earn the education that my parents had worked so hard to give me.

I finally arrived at our family home. With a heavy heart, I opened the door and walked inside. The house was silent, absent of my mother's usual chatter and warmth and my father's hearty laughter. Ignoring the burning in my eyes, I ran to my room to grab my skates and left before I fell completely apart.

As I turned to walk away, Bibi Zarifa stopped me. "Issa? My child, what on earth are you doing here?" she asked, looking up from her mending.

"Hujambo Bibi Zarifa, Shikamoo...I just came home to get something. I am leaving again," I said, greeting her in the proper way.

"Be safe, my child," she said, smiling sadly.

I turned and ran, not caring which direction I was headed in, so long as it took me away from Kitale and the pain.

After running for what seemed like an eternity, I finally stopped to catch my breath. My feet brought me to Nairobi, our country's illustrious capitol. I walked through the city, looking for one building in particular.

Finally I found what I was looking for: the Kuteleza Barafuni. Taking a deep breath, I pushed the door open.

At the Kuteleza Barafuni

"Open skate was closed an hour ago, come back later," a bored voice said from the back room.

"Ah, pole sana, Dada Bishara. I'll come back later," I mumbled.

"Ah, Issa! Pole sana, I thought you were someone else!" Bishara cried, as she came out of the backroom, an arm full of clean towels, dumping them on the counter. "You aren't going anywhere! You always have free reign, you know!"

"Asante sana, Bishara," I mumbled, as I headed to the locker room.

In the locker room

I roughly took my school shoes off, and pulled my skates on, lacing them tightly.

I grabbed my bag and unceremoniously stuffed it into my locker, pausing to look at the pictures that I had taped to the door. Feeling my eyes begin to burn, I slammed the locker door harder than I intended to and headed to the rink.

In the rink

It had been a long time since I felt the chill of the empty arena, something that I had missed since having to be away for school.

I took my Ipod and plugged it into the speakers, searching through the songs until I found the one I was looking for, _Baadaye_ by Amos  & Josh.

I glided to the center of the ice as the music filtered through the speakers. I closed my eyes, losing myself in the music.

 _Ni how, uliniwacha mi bila faham_

 _Kuwa ni yako zam_

 _Angalau_

 _Ungeniambia eti unakam_

 _Nitulize ham_

 _Wangu wa dhati, hey_

 _Tamaa zangu zimenikwamia_

 _Mikononi, labda huu ni mwisho wa dunia_

I launched off the ice, landing a Quadruple Axel that I flubbed, which caused me the silver medal at the Grand Prix Finals.

Flashback

" _All eyes are on Issa Okello, the first figure skating champion from Kenya," Imina Bosi mumbled._

" _That's right, he is looking to take a medal back to Kenya with him," Iddi Tandwe muttered to the crowd at large._

 _I launched off the ice, spinning and landing the Triple Flip, my easiest move. Grinning, I took off again, moving in time with the music._

" _At this rate, he will definitely be taking a medal home!" Baba Tandwe cried as the crowd cheered._ " _Here comes his next combination, a Quadruple Axel, a feat that he has become known for. Let's see if he can land it again!" he mumbled._

 _I grinned, knowing that I was about to show the audience something they had never seen before. I launched off the ice, spinning. I flubbed the landing, falling before getting back up to finish the program._

" _No! he missed! But he is back on his feet!" Imina cried as the audience gasped. Right then, I knew I had thrown away the medal._

 _I glided to a stop as the music faded away. The crowd erupted into thunderous applause, but all I could hear was the sound of my heart sinking through the ice._ _I greeted the crowd, then left the ice, trying to hold back the flood of emotions that was about to burst._

 _Safiri salama, msalimu Maulana_

 _Tutaonana baadaye, uuuh_

 _Safiri salama, msalimu Maulana_

 _Tutaonana baadaye_

 _Oooh ndiyooo, tutaonana baadaye_

 _Mpendwa ndiyoooo, tutaonana baadaye_

 _Nakam nakam, mpendwa tabasam_

 _Tutaonana baadaye, heey_

 _Nakam nakam, mpendwa tabasam_

 _Tutaonana baadaye, huuuu_

I launched off the ice, landing a perfect Quadruple Toe Loop, something that took me forever to perfect.

 _Waah, okay_

 _Natamani kujua what your plot is_

 _Hata landlord hupeana notice_

 _Aki Maulana ingilia kati_

 _Fees ni expensive but worth it_

 _Kwa nini uliamua kutangulia_

 _Diet yangu imechange, tabia ya kulia_

 _Usingizi nakutamani, kushoto kulia_

 _Unakuja lini, nitabasamu tena_

 _Unanitenda, aliyekuchukua sijui nani alimtuma_

 _Maombi ni ati wakati rudi nyuma_

 _Jua mi nikirudi, nikupate kwa nyumba_

 _Ju zimeshikana ni ngumu kuvunja_

 _But, ka una haraka nenda kwanza_

 _Niko na I-Bag sijalala_

 _Na usalimie Maulana_

I closed my eyes, unable to keep the memories at bay. My eyes burned as I moved in time with the music.

Flashback

" _Baba! I want to learn to skate!" I cried as I ran into my father's office, grinning from ear to ear._

" _Issa, my son, where is this coming from?" my father asked, chuckling as he set his newspaper aside._

" _I want to be like the great Viktor Nikiforov and Katsuki Yuri! Kocha Elewa says I have great talent when we go to the rink," I said as my father picked up his coffee cup._

" _I see…well I will go and talk to Kocha Elewa," my father said, hiding his grin behind his cup._

 _The next morning, I found out that my father had risen early._ " _Mama, wapi bi baba?" I asked, as I dove into my breakfast._

" _Baba alikwenda mjini aliona Kocha Elwea," mama replied, stirring the Ugali._

 _Suddenly, my father burst through the door, grinning from ear to ear. "Kocha Elewa says he will train you," baba said, ruffling my hair._ " _Ah, baba! Asante sana! Asante sana!" I cried, hugging my father tightly, tears pouring down my face._

" _Karibu sana, mwanangu. Now, off to school with you!" my father said, squeezing me as he shooed me out the door._ _As I closed the door, I heard my mother say, "Njere, what you just did for our son…it will give him a reason to live again."_

 _I grinned as I walked to school, knowing that I had discovered something that was about to bring great joy to my life._

 _Nakam nakam, mpendwa tabasam_

 _Tutaonana baadaye_

 _Nakam nakam, mpendwa tabasam_

 _Tutaonana baadaye_

I glided to a stop as the music faded away, dropping to my knees. I couldn't hold back the hot tears that cascaded down my cheeks as I knelt on the ice, sobbing.

"Issa, oh Issa," Bishara said, as she ran on to the ice, wrapping her arms around me. We stayed in the center of the rink for a while, Bishara rocking me back and forth as I sobbed.

I sobbed until I was hoarse, pouring my sorrow into the ice. Slowly, I got to my feet, dragging Bishara with me, as she let go of me slowly.

"Issa, are you going to be ok? You know you can stay with us if you need to. Or if you want your own space, we can set up the apartment upstairs for you," Bishara said, staring at me.

"I'll be ok. Asante sana tena, Bishara, for letting me come after hours. I definitely owe you one," I mumbled, as I glided to the exit, Bishara on my heels.

"Nah, you have free reign here. You can come whenever you need to escape. Remember we love you and we are here for you, for whatever you need," Bishara said, hugging me softly.

I smiled sadly and headed to the locker room to gather my things.

"Asante sana, Bishara, baadaye," I said, smiling sadly as I headed for home, feeling a little bit better than I had when I arrived.

* * *

Translations

Daudi-Beloved one (Swahili)

Issa-God is our salvation (Swahili)

Elewa-One who understands (Swahili)

Zarifa-Successful (Arabic)

Bishara-Good tidings (Swahili)

Njere-Cleverness (Shona)

"Asante sana"-"thank you"

"Karibu sana, mwanangu"- "you are welcome, my son (child)"

"Baba alikwenda mjini aliona Kocha Elwea"- "father went to see Coach Elewa"

Kocha-coach

"Mambo"- "what's up?" (slang for hello, or how's it going)

Kuteleza barafuni-ice skating

"Hujambo Bibi Zarifa, Shikamoo"- "Hello, Grandmother Zarifa, I am at your feet" (proper greeting for elders)

"Pole sana"- "I am sorry"

Mwalimu-teacher

Elimisha-teaches knowledge (Swahili)

Bwana-Mr.

Dada-sister

Tena-again


	6. Never Gonna Be Alone

_I don't own Yuri on Ice nor do I own Never Gonna Be Alone by Nickelback...enjoy!_

* * *

It was a chilly winter morning, and I was laying on the couch in the office, one earbud pressed into my ear, absentmindedly petting Maccachin, who was curled up on the floor beside me. As usual, Viktor was sitting at his desk, his fingers flying across the keyboard, eyes unblinking.

The song I was listening to faded away as the next one came on, _Never Gonna be Alone_ by the Canadian band Nickelback. They were another recommendation by Chris Giacometti, who was a huge fan of their music.

I closed my eyes and smiled, listening to the words and just how relatable they are to my life. Suddenly, an idea hit me. I bolted up off the couch, causing Maccachin to look up in alarm and Viktor to look up from his laptop.

"Lyubov moya, what's wrong?" he asked, his brow furrowed.

"Ah, nothing! I'll see you later tonight!" I said, pecking him on the cheek. I chuckled Maccachin on the head as I ran out of the office.

"That boy and his surprises…and he says _I_ work too much. Right, Maccachin?" Viktor said, smiling, as he looked down at his hand, and the gold ring that was around his finger.

At the rink

"Yuri-kun! Long time no see!" Yuko-chan said as I ran through the door, my Ipod in my hand.

"I-I know you're operating on holiday hours, Yuko-chan, but can I practice here for a while? I have a brand new idea for my next free skate program!" I said, breathless.

"You really have to ask, Yuri-kun? We told you a long time ago, you have free reign here!" "Yuko-chan said, grinning. "So, tell me! What's this new idea of yours? Something you and Viktor cooked up, no doubt!"

"Nope! This one is all on me, again!" I said, grinning, as I leaned against the counter.

"What is that?!" Yuko-chan squeaked, pointing at my hand before grabbing it, holding it up to the light. I grinned. "That is the gift that Viktor gave me while we were in Barcelona," I said, staring at the ring on my finger.

"When were you going to tell me?! When is the date?!" she squeaked, grinning from ear to ear.

"We haven't set an actual date yet, but it will be after the Grand Prix Finals, I can tell you that much," I said, grinning.

"Is this new idea of yours a pre-wedding gift?" Yuko-chan asked, grinning.

"Yep, it is. I just hope he will like it," I said, grinning.

I could see Yuko-chan's face light up, as she said, "the rink is all yours. If Viktor and Maccachin come by looking for you, I'll keep them away!"

I laughed, knowing that she wouldn't hesitate to send him away, or keep him occupied at the counter by interrogating him about the ring he gave me. "He can come into the building, but I don't want him to see what I will be working on until its perfect," I said, as I grabbed my bag and headed to the locker room.

In the locker room

I set my bag on the floor and kicked off my sneakers, pulling my skates out of my bag. I set it in my locker and, before shutting the door, paused to look at the photos that I had taped to the inside, smiling at the memories of Viktor, Maccachin, my friends and I that came flooding back. I grinned from ear to ear and shook my head as I closed my locker door.

In the rink

"Hey, Yuri! What are you doing here?" Axel asked when she looked up from polishing the chairs.

"Hey Axel-kun! It's good to see you! Hey, will you hook this up to the speakers for me and press play when I give you the signal? It's already set to the song," I said as I handed her my Ipod.

"Sure thing! Is this a new piece you and Viktor thought up for the next competition?" she asked as I took off my jacket, my ring catching the light. "What's that on your finger?" she squealed, grabbing my hand.

"Your mom asked me the same thing! It's the ring that Viktor gave me in Barcelona," I said, grinning as I set my glasses and jacket on the railing.

"When's the date?" Axel demanded, her eyes glittering.

"We haven't set an official one, but I know it'll be after the finals," I said, my heart pounding as I glided to the center of the ice. "Ok, Axel, ready when you are!"

"Rodger that!" she called, pressing play. The opening notes shattered the serene silence of the arena. I closed my eyes and got lost in the music, forgetting that Axel, and for that matter, the rest of the staff came running once they heard the music start.

As the music faded away, I glided to a stop, my eyes closed and my heart pounding in my chest. Suddenly the rink exploded in applause and cheering, and I was brought back to reality.

"YURI, THAT WAS FANTASTIC!" Takeshi bellowed.

"VIKTOR WILL LOVE IT!" Yuko-chan screamed, tears pouring from her eyes.

 _I hope he will love it. I can only wait, hope and see,_ I thought as I glided over to the others, smiling.

One month later

"Welcome skating fans, to the Kyushu Grand Championship! Today we have the best and brightest stars from around the world competing for a place in the Grand Prix Finals!" announced Takamura Sanoske, a veteran commentator.

"That's right, Sanoske-san! All morning we have watched as these young stars rehearsed their free skate programs, and let me tell those watching here and those watching at home, you are definitely in for a show! All eyes will be on the rising star of Japan, our very own Katsuki Yuri, the 24-year old from Hasetsu, and his coach Viktor Nikiforov. Time and time again, we have watched as Katsuki Yuri blossomed. I wonder what he has in store for us today," mused Himura Megumi.

I tuned out the commentators and everyone else as I stretched, my earbuds pressed firmly in my ears and my heart pounding in my chest.

"Lyubov moya, _relax_ , you're going to be fine," Viktor whispered in my ear as he wrapped his arms around me. "I'm sure whatever you have been working on is going to be flawless, as always. Yuko-chan wouldn't let me near the ring to watch you or offer pointers, not that you need them of course."

"I hope you will like the piece that I have been working on Aibou. I've been working so hard to get this perfect, I'm scared I will screw it up and lose my place in the Finals," I whispered, my body shaking.

Viktor tightened his grip and spun me around to face him, gently taking my chin in his hand. "You know what I always tell you, lyubov moya: forget the crowd! Forget the competition! Pretend that you are back in Hatestu at the rink, and it's just the two of us. Skate for yourself…and skate for me," he whispered. He pressed a kiss to my lips as the commentators called my name.

"It's time, lyubov moya. Go get 'em," he said with a smile, his hands interlace with mine as we walked to the entrance to the ice. I pulled him close, looking him in the eyes, and whispered, "don't ever take your eyes off of me!" I kissed him before entering the ice.

I too my place in the center of the arena as the music filtered through the speakers.

"This is another program by Katsuki Yuri. He has decided to take alternative approach to choosing music," Sanoske-san muttered.

"That's right Sanoske-san. Rumor has it that Katsuki Yuri has choreographed this as a surprise for his coach," Megumi-san muttered.

 _Time, is going by, so much faster than I,  
And I'm starting to regret not spending all of it with you._

 _That's right! I do regret not spending every waking moment with Viktor. After the banquet last year and the way, I not only embarrassed myself but Viktor as well, there was no way I could face him, let alone spend any time with him,_ I thought, as bits and pieces of the fuzzy banquet came back to me.

Flashback

 _I was sitting at the tabled that I shared with Guang-Hong Ji, Phichit Chulanont and Leo de le Iglesia. They were chatting animatedly to one another about their plans for the off-season, grinning from ear to ear._

 _I had gotten up and walked away from our table, unable to listen to their cheerful chatter any longer. I had taken refuge at the champagne table, and took a glass. Before I knew it, I had accumulated a fair amount of empty champagne glasses, and I was no longer feeling depressed…in fact I couldn't really feel much of anything._

 _I walked over to Yurio's table, and dragged him to his feet. "Come dansssee with me!" I said, grinning._

" _Katsudon! What on earth…wait! How much have to had to drink?" Yurio demanded, jerking his hand from my grip._

" _It dosent matter! Dansssee with me!" I said, grabbing his hand and dragging him to the center of the room, where I proceeded to start dancing._

 _By then, Guang-Hong, Leo and Chris had joined me. A wave of heat suddenly hit me, and before I realized what had happened, my shirt and pants had been flung to the side of the room._

 _By the time I was done dancing, I was out of breath and sweating. I took a bow, gathered my clothes and left to go up to the room I was staying in._

I shook my head as I forced the embarrassing memory out of my mind.

"First up: A Quadruple Salcow, Triple Flip," Megumi-san muttered.

I launched myself off the ice, spinning and landing flawlessly, grinning from ear to ear. "A perfect combination!" exclaimed Sanoske-san as the crowd cheered.

 _Now I'm, wondering why, I've kept this bottled inside,  
So I'm starting to regret not telling all of it to you.  
So if I haven't yet, I've gotta let you know_

 _I regret not telling you how I felt about you when you appeared in my family's hot spring. I should have told you long ago how I really felt but I was afraid and embarrassed,_ I thought as the music peaked.

"Here comes another combination! A Quadruple Axel, Triple Salcow!" Sanoske-san muttered as the crowd held its breath.

I launched off the ice, spinning, my heart pounding in my ears. "Another flawless combination! At this rate Katsuki Yuri will be taking home the gold!" exclaimed Megumi-san as the crowd erupted.

 _You're never gonna be alone!  
From this moment on, if you ever feel like letting go,  
I won't let you fall,  
You're never gonna be alone!  
I'll hold you 'till the hurt is gone._

 _I will always be your support and I will never let you be hurt again,_ I thought, as I scanned the coach's box. I flashed a smile at my fiancé, who was watching me with rapt attention, my ring catching the light.

"What could that be on Katsuki Yuri's finger? Are we going to see a wedding in the near future?" asked Sanoske-san.

"Who knows, Sanoske-san!" Megumi-san replied, perched on the edge of her seat.

Flashback

 _I bumped the office door open with my hip as I carried two steaming mugs of tea into the office._

" _Aibou, I-" I said, stopping mid-sentence. Viktor was sitting on the couch, his head in his hands and his shoulders heaving, Maccachin sitting in front of him._

" _Aibou, what's wrong?" I asked as I set the mugs down on the desk and dropping to my knees in front of him._

" _My sister just called me. My mother was out running errands when she was hit by someone going the wrong way down the road. S-she was hit head on…s-she didn't make it," he sobbed, unable to hold his emotions back._

" _Aibou, oh Aibou, I'm so sorry," I said, wrapping my arms around him as he sobbed into my shoulder, my eyes burning._

" _I have to make plans, buy our tickets to go home. There is so much to do," he mumbled, as he sat up, his eyes bloodshot._

" _Aibou, let me take care of the tickets and the plans. You need to rest, you just received upsetting news," I said, as I handed him his mug of tea._

 _I sat at the desk, putting plans in place for the duration of time that we are gone. Losing track of time, I looked up, to find that Viktor had disappeared. I knew exactly where he had gone: he went to the rink. I finished up the plans and grabbed my bag._

" _Come on, Maccachin, let's go check on Aibou," I said, grabbing his leash as we ran out the door._

I shook the memory from my mind, as I moved in time to the music.

 _Oh,  
You've gotta live every single day,  
Like it's the only one, what if tomorrow never comes?  
Don't let it slip away,  
Could be our only one, you know it's only just begun  
Every single day,  
May be our only one, what if tomorrow never comes?  
Tomorrow never comes_

 _We have to live in the moment, and seize the chance! What if tomorrow never comes, and I never get the chance to tell you how much I love you?_ I thought as my heart pounded.

"Here comes the last combination, one of the most difficult move Katsuki Yuri has ever attempted: a Quadruple Axel, Triple Toe Loop. Will he be able to execute this difficult combination?" Sanoske-san asked the crowd at large.

 _Watch me land this combination!_ I thought, as I launched myself off the ice. "HE LANDS THE COMBINATION! A FLAWLESS COMBINATION BY KATSUKI YURI!" roared Sanoske-san as the crowd erupted.

 _I'm gonna be there all the way,  
I won't be missing one more day,  
I'm gonna be there always,  
I won't be missing one more day._

 _I won't ever have to miss another day without you, Aibou. Soon we will be united as one, and we will always be together,_ I thought, as my ring glinted in the spotlight.

I finished my spin and glided to a stop, my hand outstretched and my heart pounding.

You could hear a pin drop, before the crowd erupted with thunderous applause and cheering that could be heard all the way to Hasetsu. I turned and greeted the audience, then left the ice grinning from ear to ear.

Viktor was standing at the exit of the ice, tears in his eyes. "Aibou, that was flawless," he whispered in my ear as he held me in his arms.

"I was worried you would be angry that I went behind your back…again," I mumbled, staring at the floor.

Viktor gently took my chin in his hand. "Lyubov moya, did you _not_ hear the crowd? They loved your performance just as much as I did. They love you just as much as I do," he whispered as he kissed me. We moved to the staging area, and waited with bated breath for my scores.

"Lyubov moya, _relax_ ," Viktor whispered, wrapping his arms around me, when he saw me shaking.

"The scores for Katsuki Yuri are in!" Megumi-san, as the crowd held its breath.

My heart pounded in my chest. I covered my ears with my hands and pulled my knees to my chest, desperate to block out my nerves.

"The scores for Katsuki Yuri…A PERFECT SCORE! KATSUKI YURI HAS WON THE GOLD FOR JAPAN!" Sanoske-san bellowed. The crowd erupted, screaming and cheering, their applause loud enough to break the sound barrier.

"You see, lyubov moya, they loved your performance as much as I did!" Viktor shouted as the crowd continued to roar, tears rolling down his face.

I took to the ice again, this time, to be awarded with my medal. Chris, Yurio and I greeted the crowd and left the ice.

I was grinning from ear to ear, knowing that all the blood, sweat and tears and the hours of rehearsal that I had put into putting this performance together paid off. I won the Kyushu Grand Championship and secured my place in the Grand Prix Finals.

"Oi, katsudon!" grunted an all-too familiar voice from behind me. I turned to find Yurio right at my heels.

"Hi Yurio, congratulations on your place in the Finals!" I said, my voice shaking slightly as I stepped backwards. _He was always intimidating, even though he is younger that I am_ , I thought.

"I expect an invite to your wedding," he grunted as he walked away, the silver medal glinting around his neck.

"Sure thing, Yurio!" I said, chuckling as Viktor walked up behind me.

As we left the rink at the end of the championship, my gold medal glinting around my neck, Viktor stopped and turned to me, something glittering in his beautiful blue eyes.

"I heard the message in your performance, lyubov moya, and I realize that I haven't replied to you," Viktor started, staring at his ring.

I stopped dead in my tracks. _Oh God! What is going to say?! I can't handle this right now!_ I thought as my mind raced and my heart thundered in my chest.

"You were right when you said we have to live every single day, and you asked what if tomorrow never comes," he started. He stared at his ring for what felt like an eternity. I didn't know if I wanted him to finish his sentence or not.

"That's why we should get married tomorrow. You, me, our friends and family. Tomorrow," he said softly.

My eyes snapped up as I watched Viktor, his blue eyes sparkling.

"So, what do you say?" he asked, winking.

"Yes! Let's do it!" I whispered in his ear, my eyes burning.

He grinned, the grin that I love so much. "Well then, we have much to plan!" he said.

* * *

Transations:

Lyubov moya-my love (Russian)


	7. Your Guardian Angel

_Your Guardian Angel-Red Jumpsuit Apparatus (Viktor POV) I don't own Yuri on Ice, its characters or the song 'Your Guardian Angel' by Red Jumpsuit Apparatus...enjoy!_

* * *

It was summer during the off-season, and I was sitting on the balcony looking out over the ocean, Maccachin curled up beside me.

 _A lot has happened this year, I can't believe it,_ I thought, holding my hand out in front of me, my ring catching the light of the bright sun.

"Next up is 'Your Guardian Angel' by Red Jumpsuit Apparatus," the DJ announced over the radio. I smiled, listening intently to the lyrics. Suddenly, an idea hit me like a ton of bricks. I shot up out of my seat, startling poor Maccachin.

"There you are, Aibou," said a soft voice from behind me. I smiled, and turned to face Katsuki Yuri, my fiancé. "What are you doing out here all alone?"

"I'm gonna go out for a bit, but don't worry, I'll be back later," I said, pecking him on the cheek as I ran out the door.

"Always the busy worker, never stopping to rest. Right, Maccachin?" Yuri asked, shaking his head and chuckling Maccachin on the head.

At the rink

"Viktor! Well this is a surprise indeed! Where is Yuri-kun?" Yuko-chan asked, as she folded towels at the counter.

"Hi, Yuko-chan! I know it's the off season, but would it be ok if I worked here for a while?" I asked, leaning against the counter.

"Viktor, you really have to ask every time you and Yuri come in here? You both know you have free reign anytime!" Yuko-chan said, grinning. "So, is this a new program for Yuri?"

I shook my head. "No, this one is a piece I am going to perform next season," I said, grinning.

"So it's your grand debut after taking a season off? I can't wait to see it! I'm sure Yuri will love it!" Yuko-chan squealed, her face bright with mischief. "I'll be sure to keep Yuri and Maccachin away if they come poking around."

"Thank you, Yuko-chan!" I said, grinning as I headed to the locker room.

In the locker room

I sat down on one of the benches, kicking off my shoes. I pulled my skates out of my bag, thinking, _It's been far too long, old friend._

After lacing up my skates, I set my bag in my locker, pausing to look at the photos that I had recently taped to the door. I smiled and shook my head, closing the locker door and heading to the rink, my Ipod in my hand.

In the arena

"Viktor! What a surprise! It's been too long!" Lutz said as she looked up from her work.

"Indeed it has! How have you been, Lutz?" I asked, smiling as I gave her a hug.

Lutz groaned and shook her head. "It's been too quiet around here, but it is the off-season after all," she said. "So, what brings you here?"

I grinned and said, "an idea hit me for a new free-skate program for next season."

"Ah! So it's a new one for Yuri, right? I cant's wait to see it!" she exclaimed, grinning from ear to ear. I shook my head. "Nope, this is one that I am going to perform next season."

Lutz stared at me, her eyes wide and mouth wide open. "So you're coming back to skating?! What is Yuri going to do?" she asked.

"Yuri and I have several ideas for programs. This one is just to show that I haven't lost my touch even though I took a season off to coach Aibou. Can you plug this in for me and press play when I give you the signal?" I asked, grinning as I handed her my Ipod.

I glided to the center of the ice. "Ok, Lutz, ready when you are!" I called.

"Rodger that!" she called, pressing play. The music filtered through the speakers, shattering the silence.

I closed my eyes and lost myself in the music, savoring my return to the ice. _It's been far too long,_ I thought as I smiled.

As the music faded away, I glided to a stop, my heart pounding and my arms reaching towards the ceiling. The arena erupted in applause.

"VIKTOR, THAT WAS BEAUTIFUL!" Yuko-chan screeched, tears pouring down her face.

"YURI WILL LOVE IT!" Axel and Loop shouted.

 _I can only hope he loves it,_ I thought as I left the ice, my mind racing. After gathering my things from my locker, I slowly made my way home, thinking over every little detail of the piece that I was going to perform in the coming competition, and what Aibou's reaction will be.

Several months later

"Welcome ice skating fans to the new season! We are here live from the Kyushu Regional Competition, where the best and brightest have come to fight for a place in the National Competition," announced Takamura Sanoske, a seasoned commentator.

"That's right Sanoske-san. We have been watching the skaters all morning, and boy, the judges have a tough job ahead," Mezuri Akiza replied.

"Rumor has it that Viktor Nikiforov will be making a grand debut after taking a season off," Akiza-san muttered. "That's right, Akiza-san. We shall see if the season he took off has been detrimental, or just the break he needed," replied Sanoske-san.

I tuned out the commentators and the other skaters, and stretched, my mind racing and my heart pounding in my chest. "Are you alright, Aibou?" Yuri asked, as he wrapped his arms around me from behind.

"I'm fine, lyubov moya, just thinking about the steps is all," I said, smiling as my mind raced.

"Aibou, you are a five-time world champion. You have won the Grand Prix Finals. I know you can do this, I have all the faith in the world," he whispered, kissing my forehead gently before hugging me tightly.

"Representing Japan, is Viktor Nikiforov," Akiza-san announced as the arena erupted into applause and cheering.

My heart lurched in my chest as we made our way to the railing. Smiling, Yuri bent to tighten my laces and, as he stood up, whispered the same advice that I give to him before every competition.

"Remember, Aibou, pretend that the crowd isn't here. Pretend that this arena is empty, just like the one at home. Skate for yourself, and skate for me," he whispered in my ear.

I pulled him close, hugging him tightly. "Don't ever take your eyes off me," I whispered, kissing him before I took to the ice.

I stood in the center of the ice, my eyes closed and my mind racing. The music filtered through the speakers, shattering the silence.

"Viktor is skating to 'Your Guardian Angel' by the American band Red Jumpsuit Apparatus," Akiza-san muttered as I took off. "Both Viktor and Katsuki Yuri have broken away from the traditional instrumental music choices for an alternative one."

"That's right, Akiza-san. Rumor has it that he created this piece for his fiancé during the off-season," Sanoske-san mumbled.

 _When I see your smile_

 _Tears run down my face_

 _I can't replace_

 _Everytime…every time he melts me with his smile,_ I thought, as I smiled. _I never used to be this way…but there is something about that boy that just melts me._

"First us is a Quadruple Lutz, his signature move," Akiza-san muttered as the crowd held its breath.

I launched myself off the ice, spinning and landing flawlessly. "And he nails it! Very clean!" exclaimed Sanoske-san as the crowd cheered.

Flashback

 _We were sightseeing in Barcelona, walking through the Christmas Market, the night before the Grand Prix Finals. "Viktor, your birthday is Christmas Day, right? What would you like for your gift?" he asked, turning to me, his eyes sparkling._

" _I haven't really thought about it. I never really celebrated my birthday or Christmas Day, since it was just Maccachin and I," I replied._

 _We had been walking in silence for a while when Yuri's face lit up. He ran ahead of me and stopped in front of a jewelry shop. "Here! Let's go in here for a second!" he said, pushing the door open._

" _Welcome, gents. Is there something I can help you find?" the shopkeeper asked, smiling. Aibou strolled up to the counter and looked intently through the glass. I looked over his shoulder, closing my hand around the ring box in my pocket._

" _I'll take that one!" he said, pointing to the one that he was drawn to, his voice shaking as he placed his credit card on the counter. "I will have to pay in installments."_

 _We left the shop, Yuri's new purchase tucked safely into his jacket pocket. We walked a little longer, silent, until we stopped in front of the church._

 _Yuri reached for my hand, gently taking my glove off with shaking hands. His face turned beet red as he reached into his pocket and gently slid the ring onto my finger. "This is the only way that I could thank you for everything that you have done for me since you have been my coach," he said softly. "I will do my best tomorrow, you'll see!"_

 _Smiling, I reached for his hand. "Tomorrow, show me a side of you that I have never seen. Show me the skating that you can honestly be proud of," I said softly, slipping a ring on his finger._

 _He flashed the smile that I love so much, and, with tears in his eyes, threw his arms around me._

I smiled as the memory of that day came flooding back.

"Here comes another combination: the Quadruple Flip, another signature move! His fiancé pulled this off at the Grand Prix Finals last year! Will he be able to pull it off?" Sanoske-san muttered.

 _Watch this,_ I thought, as I launched myself off the ice. I landed flawlessly, earning thunderous applause from the crowd.

"HE LANDS THE COMBINATION!" roared Sanoske-san, as the crowd cheered.

 _I will never let you fall_

 _I'll stand up with you forever_

 _I'll be there for you through it all_

 _Even if saving you sends me to heaven_

 _'Cause you're my_

 _You're mine_

 _My true love_

 _My whole heart_

 _Yuri, my sweet, Yuri. You are my whole heart. The factor that I was missing in my life this entire time, I found at last,_ I thought as I spun.

 _Please don't throw that away_

 _'Cause I'm here for you_

 _Please don't walk away and_

 _Please tell me you'll stay_

Flashback

 _It was the night of the Grand Prix Finals Free Skating program. We were sitting in our hotel room, exhausted from the day's events._

" _So, Aibou, what was it that you wanted to about?" I asked, sitting down on the edge of the windowsill. He took a deep breath, and said softly, "After the Grand Prix Finals, let's end this."_

 _I sat, stunned. "Lyubov moya, what do you mean?" I asked, my mind racing._

" _I know how much you miss skating and competing. I was selfish to think that I could be the one that kept you from the world that you love so much. So I'm giving you the chance to go back," he said softly, tears welling in his eyes as he stared at the floor._

" _Yuri, listen to me: I would give up all the skating in the world to be with you. I love you Katsuki Yuri, but just tell me if you are going to walk away or you will stay," I said, my voice shaking._

 _His eyes snapped up, staring at me. "I will stay! I will stay with you!" he said, dropping to his knees in front of me, tears pouring down his face._

I shook the memory from my head as I moved in time with the music.

"Here comes his last combination, a Quadruple Flip, Quadruple Salcow," Akiza-san muttered.

I launched myself off the ice, spinning and landing without a flaw, grinning from ear to ear. "HE LANDS THE COMBINATION! HE WILL HAVE THE GOLD MEDAL WRAPPED UP WITH THAT ONE!" roared Sanoske-san as the crowd erupted into thunderous applause.

 _I will never let you fall_

 _I'll stand up with you forever_

 _I'll be there for you through it all_

 _Even if saving you sends me to heaven_

 _Lyubov moya, I will never let you fall again. I will stand together with you and face every hurdle head on,_ I thought as I spun and glided to a halt, my hands reaching towards the ceiling.

You could hear a pin drop before the crowd erupted into thunderous applause. "ANOTHER STUNNING PERFORMANCE BY VIKTOR NIKIFOROV!" shouted Akiza-san as the crowd roared.

I greeted the crowd, my heart pounding and my mind racing. I took one last bow and left the ice.

"Viktor! Does this mean you will be coming back to skating permanently?" asked a reporter, shoving her microphone in my face.

"I haven't made a decision yet," I said coolly as I walked passed the reporters.

Yuri threw himself into my arms. "Aibou, that was flawless!" he whispered in my ear. We waited in the staging area with baited breath. "The scores for Viktor Nikiforov…A PERFECT SCORE! VIKTOR NIKIFOROV IS BACK!" roared Sanoske-san as the crowd erupted.

I took to the ice again, this time to receive my medal. I grinned from ear to ear, knowing that my mother was watching over me.

After the competition was over, Yuri and I headed to where our cab would pick us up.

"You are right, Aibou," he said suddenly, as he turned to face me. "You have always been my guardian angel. You sacrificed everything to become my coach and help me win the Grand Prix Finals."

"Lyubov moya, I-"

"No, you _did_ sacrifice everything. So I will stand with you forever," he said, as he wrapped his arms around me. I wrapped my arms around him and squeezed, knowing that my life was now complete with him in it.


	8. Broken

_Broken-Seether (Viktor POV) I don't own Yuri on Ice or its characters, nor do I own the song 'Broken' by Seether...enjoy!_

* * *

Yuri bumped the office door open with his hip as he carried two steaming mugs of tea into the office.

"Aibou, I-" he said, stopping mid-sentence. I was sitting on the couch, my head in my hands and my shoulders heaving, Maccachin sitting in front of me.

"Aibou, what's wrong?" Yuri asked as he set the mugs down on the desk and dropping to his knees in front of me.

"My older sister just called me. My mother was out running errands when she was hit head on by someone going the wrong way down the road. S-she was hit head on…s-she didn't make it," I sobbed, my voice cracking.

"Aibou, oh Aibou, I'm so sorry," he said, wrapping his arms around me as I sobbed into his shoulder.

"I have to make plans, buy our tickets to go home. There is so much to do," I mumbled, as I sat up, my eyes bloodshot.

"Aibou, let me take care of the tickets and the plans. You need to rest, you just received upsetting news," he said, as he handed me my mug of tea. He got up and sat at the desk, putting plans in place for the duration of time that we were going to be gone.

Unable to stand being in the suffocating house any longer, I stood up and quietly left the office. I grabbed my bag and left the house, desperate to get away from the pain.

At the Rink

"We are closed today for maintenance, come back another day," a bored voice said from the back office.

"I'm sorry Yuko-chan. I'll come back," I mumbled as I turned to walk out the door.

"Viktor! What a ple-what's wrong?" she asked, grabbing my hand, concern in her eyes.

I shook my head, trying desperately to keep my emotions at bay. "It's nothing," I mumbled, staring at the floor.

"The rink is yours," she said softly, hugging me.

"Thanks, Yuko-chan," I muttered as I headed to the locker room.

In the locker room

I kicked off my sneakers and pulled my skates and my Ipod out of my bag. After lacing them tightly, I stuffed my bag unceremoniously into my locker and slammed the door shut.

I sat in silence as I stretched, lost in my thoughts. Once I was ready to go, I stood up and headed to the practice arena.

In the practice arena

The rink was empty, just what I needed. I hooked up my IPod to the speakers, scrolling through my music until I found the song that I was looking for, _Broken_ by the American band Seether.

I took to the ice as the music filtered through the speakers.

I closed my eyes and let the music take over my body, my eyes burning as I skated.

 _I wanted you to know I love the way you laugh  
I want to hold you high and steal your pain away  
I keep your photograph, and I know it serves me well  
I want to hold you high and steal your pain_

 _Mother, I loved the way that you laughed at the smallest things. I wish I had been there to ease your pain,_ I thought as I moved in time with the music.

I launched off the ice, landing the Quadruple Flip as I had done many times in competition.

 _'Cause I'm broken when I'm lonesome  
And I don't feel right when you've gone away  
You've gone away,  
You don't feel me here anymore_

 _I feel so broken without you, Mom. It's not right that you were taken from this world so soon,_ I thought. I was unable to hold back my emotions, tears formed and rolled down my cheeks as I launched off the ice again, landing the combination.

As the music faded away, I glided to a stop. Unable to hold my emotions back, I dropped to my knees, sobbing.

"Aibou! Oh Aibou, I'm so sorry," Yuri said as he ran onto the ice, dropping to his knees. He wrapped his arms around me, and together, sat on the ice, letting our emotions flood over us.

In St. Petersburg, Russia

We touched down in the Pulkovo Airport in my hometown of St. Petersburg. We went down to the lower level to collect our baggage, my mind numb and my body shaking.

After collecting our luggage, we left the airport. I flagged down a cab for us to take to my father's house. I knew that I was about to walk into a firestorm, and I was bringing my fiancé with me.

It was a silent ride, at least on our end. Our driver, a kindly old man, chatted animatedly as he navigated the confusing streets.

"We rooted for you while you were gone, Vitya. You made us all so proud! Your mom would have been so proud of what you have accomplished," he said, looking in the rearview mirror at us. I was silent, my eyes burning as I tried to hold my emotions back. Yuri took my hand in his and squeezed it gently.

Soon enough, he stopped in front of the house. "Here we are, gents. Things will get better; don't you worry Vitya. Say hi to your sister and your father for me!" he said, smiling as he took off.

Picking up my suitcase in one hand and taking Yuri's hand in the other, I took a deep breath. We walked up the steps to the front door. I rapped with my knuckles, my heart pounding in my chest.

"Ah, Vitya! Welcome home!" my sister cried as she wrapped her arms around me and squeezed. "It's been far too long. Who do we have here?" she asked, stepping back.

"It's good to see you, Katya. This is Katsuki Yuri, my fiancé," I said, smiling slightly as Yuri stepped forward.

Katya was silent for a moment, then wrapped Yuri in her arms and gave him a mighty squeeze. "It is a pleasure to meet you, Yuri-kun. It's about time my baby brother found someone to make him happy!" she said, smiling.

"It's a pleasure to meet you as well, Katya-san," Yuri said, bowing as he shook her hand.

"Vitya, father will want to see you. He's upstairs in the office," Katya said, her eyes full of concern. "Leave your luggage to me. I will show Yuri-kun where you can sleep."

I left the entry way and, after taking a deep breath, walked up the stairs towards my father's office.

I stood outside my father's office, my mind racing and my heart pounding in my chest. After taking a deep breath, I knocked softly. "Come in," said a muffled voice.

My father bolted up out of his chair, and crossed the office. "It's been too long, Vitya. Your mother would have loved to see you," he said, pulling me into a bone-breaking hug, his voice cracking.

"It's been too long, Father," I said softly into his shoulder.

A few weeks

We were standing among the group that had gathered around my mother's grave. The priest finished the service and, slowly the assembly began to leave.

As they left, people clasped me on the shoulder, whispering words of what was supposed to be comfort. To me, it sounded like gibberish from faceless strangers.

"I will see you at home, Vitya," my father said quietly as he left with Katya.

I wiped my eyes on my sleeve and knelt by my mother's grave. "Mom, I want to introduce you to someone very special to me," I whispered, my voice cracking. "Mom, this is Katsuki Yuri, my fiancé. I love him very much, and I think you would have loved him too."

Yuri knelt beside me, wrapping his arms around me. "It is a pleasure to meet you, Madame," Yuri said, bowing.

"Mom, I know the law states that my being engaged to Yuri is illegal, so that means that, once we leave, we can't come back," I said, my voice cracking. "Just know that I will always think of you, no matter how far away we are." My eyes welled with tears as I sat at my mother's grave.

"Aibou, you have had a difficult day. Let's go back to the house and rest," Yuri said, pulling me to my feet.

I nodded, pausing to kiss my mother's gravestone. "Ya lyublyu tebya, mama," I said softly, as we walked away.

A month later

 _The worst is over now and we can breathe again  
I want to hold you high, and steal my pain away  
There's so much left to learn, and no one left to fight  
I want to hold you high and steal your pain_

 _It's been over a month since the funeral, Mom. They found the guy that hit you and threw him in jail. I feel like I can finally breathe again,_ I said as I stood on the balcony of our house, overlooking the ocean.

 _'Cause I'm broken when I'm open  
And I don't feel like I am strong enough  
'Cause I'm broken when I'm lonesome  
And I don't feel right when you're gone away_

"Aibou? Are you up for some company?" asked a soft voice from behind me.

 _I will always be broken, but I know that I will never be alone,_ I thought.

Smiling, I turned to face Yuri, the light of my life. "Of course, lyubov moya," I said, holding out my hand. I wrapped my arms around him as we stood staring out over the ocean.

"Your mom will always be with you, Aibou. You will never have to be alone," he said.

I smiled contently, knowing that my mother was watching over us.

* * *

Translations:

ya lyublyu tebya-I love you (Russian)

Lyubov moya-my love (Russian)


	9. Million Reasons

_I don't own Yuri on Ice, its characters or the song 'Million Reasons' by Lady Gaga...enjoy!_

* * *

It was the night before the Free Skate Program. We had retired to our hotel room for the night, exhausted from the day's activities. I set my phone and pass down on the desk, stretching before going to sit on the windowsill.

"So, lyubov moya, what was it that you needed to talk about?" I asked, perching on the windowsill, fiddling with the ring on my finger. "Is everything ok?"

He took a deep breath, and said softly, "After the finals, let's end this." I sat, stunned. "Lyubov moya, what do you mean?" I asked as I tried to hold back the emotions that were threatening to flood over me.

"I know how much you miss skating and competing. I was selfish to think that I could be the one that kept you from the world that you love so much. So, I'm giving you the chance to go back," he whispered as tears welled in his eyes.

My eyes began to burn as tears formed and cascaded down my face. "Aibou?" he whispered, looking up with tears rolling down his face.

"Damn it all. I didn't realize that Katsuki Yuri would turn out to be such a selfish human being," I whispered, my voice cracking.

"I've decided to retire after the finals. I made this selfish decision on my own," he said softly.

Tears continued to cascade down my face, as I sat in a stunned silence. He reached across to brush the hair from my face. "What are you doing?" I demanded, glaring at him.

"It's just, I've never seen you cry before," he said gently, looking into my eyes.

"I'm just pissed, Ok!" I said, slapping his hand away and standing. I snatched my jacket off the coat-rack and my bag from the floor and stormed out of the room.

I stormed out of the hotel, desperate to get away from everyone, from the finals and especially from the man that I thought I loved.

At the rink

My feet carried me to the one place that I knew I could pour out my emotions without judgement: the rink.

I flashed my pass to the front desk person, who nodded and let me pass.

In the locker room

I roughly kicked off my sneakers and pulled my skates from my bag. After lacing them up tightly, I stuffed my bag angrily into the locker and slammed the door harder than I intended. Grabbing my Ipod from the bench, I headed into the practice arena.

In the practice arena

The arena was deserted, as it should be at midnight. I plugged my Ipod into the speakers, shuffling through my library of music until I found the song that I was looking for, _Million Reasons_ by the American artist Lady Gaga, a recommendation by Leo de la Iglesia.

I took to the ice as the music filtered through the speakers. I let the music take over my body as I skated in time with the music.

 _You're giving me a million reasons to let you go  
You're giving me a million reasons to quit the show  
You're givin' me a million reasons  
Give me a million reasons  
Givin' me a million reasons  
About a million reasons_

 _You're giving me a million reasons to walk away from it all here and now…after everything that I have done for you_ , I thought angrily as I skated in time with the music.

 _If I had a highway, I would run for the hills  
If you could find a dry way, I'd forever be still  
But you're giving me a million reasons  
Give me a million reasons  
Givin' me a million reasons  
About a million reasons_

 _If I was heartless enough, I would run as fast as I could to get away from you. I would go home to Russia and forget about you…you selfish little runt!_ I thought as I seethed, Yuri's words still echoing in my head.

I launched off the ice, landing my signature Quadruple Axel as though it were nothing.

 _I bow down to pray  
I try to make the worst seem better  
Lord, show me the way  
To cut through all his worn out leather  
I've got a hundred million reasons to walk away  
But baby, I just need one good one to stay_

 _I've tried my damndest to make things work, especially when things looked dark. I could have gone back to my home of Russia to be Yurio's coach and saved myself the frustration and heartbreak. But no…I stayed with you, because I had fallen in love with you. At this point, give me one good reason why I shouldn't walk away right now,_ I thought as my eyes began to burn.

I launched off the ice, landing another one of my signature moves with no effort.

 _And if you say something that you might even mean  
It's hard to even fathom which parts I should believe  
'Cause you're giving me a million reasons  
Give me a million reasons  
Givin' me a million reasons  
About a million reasons_

 _Did you even mean the things that you said? You always rush into decisions without weighing your options. Stupid, selfish boy! I don't even know where to begin thinking about the conversation we just had,_ I thought angrily as tears burned in my eyes.

 _Baby I'm bleedin', bleedin'  
Stay  
Can't you give me what I'm needin', needin'  
Every heartbreak makes it hard to keep the faith  
But baby, I just need one good one  
Good one, good one, good one, good one, good one_

I couldn't hold back the tears that had formed in my eyes. They cascaded down my face as I spun.

 _My heart is bleeding. Stay with me, lyubov moya, I beg you. Only you can give me the one thing that has been missing from my life since I began my skating career,_ I thought as my heart shattered.

 _When I bow down to pray  
I try to make the worst seem better  
Lord, show me the way  
To cut through all his worn out leather  
I've got a hundred million reasons to walk away  
But baby, I just need one good one, good one  
Tell me that you'll be the good one, good one  
Baby, I just need one good one to stay_

 _I pray that this will pass, and we can begin our lives together, as we planned when you slipped the ring on my finger. Lord, please show me the way to put my mind to rest, and let me finally find happiness with the one that I love,_ I thought.

I launched of the ice, spinning and landing the most difficult move in skating history as though it were nothing.

I glided to a stop, my hands reaching towards the ceiling before collapsing to my knees, sobbing, my head in my hands.

"Aibou! Aibou, I'm so sorry!" Yuri sobbed as he ran onto the ice, wrapping his arms around me. "I won't throw away what we have!"

I looked into his bloodshot eyes, the eyes that had captured my heart from the first time I watched him skate.

"Please, I beg you to stay with me for one more year!" he sobbed, holding my hands tightly. I shook my head, looking away. "I need one good reason to stay. If you can give me a good enough reason, I will stay with you," I said, my voice cracking.

He took a deep breath and gently took my chin in his hand, pulling my attention to him. "My reason is this: I love you, Viktor Nikiforov. I have loved you from the beginning. And if you will stay with me, I will prove it," he whispered, tears pouring down his face.

My heart pounded in my chest and my mind raced. I threw my arms around him, whispering in his ear, "I love you too, Katsuki Yuri. We shall see indeed just how you will prove your love."


	10. To Where You Are

_I don't own Yuri on Ice or its characters nor do I own the song 'To Where You Are' by Josh Groban...enjoy :)_

* * *

It was the off-season, and I was sitting in the office working, trying to keep my mind occupied. It was December 16, the one-year anniversary of my mother's death, an incredibly painful time for my family.

I had soft music playing in the background, which kept the encroaching silence at bay. As the current song faded away, another took its place, the song "To Where You Are" by the American artist Josh Groban.

After the funeral, Leo sent this song to me, to remind me that I am not alone. I sat back and closed my eyes, listening to the message of the lyrics. As the office door opened, an idea hit me.

"Aibou, how are you?" Yuri asked, as he came in carrying two steaming mugs of hot tea, followed close behind by Maccachin. I shrugged. "I'm ok as to be expected, I suppose," I mumbled as he sat on the edge of the desk as Maccachin rested his head in my lap.

"You are still in pain, even though a year has passed already. It's to be expected," he said softly, taking my hand in his. "You were listening to the song Leo sent again, weren't you?"

I nodded. "It's brought me a little comfort since the funeral. Listen, lyubov moya, would you be hurt if I left for a while?" I asked, avoiding his gaze.

He gently took my chin in his hand, and, in drawing my eyes to his face, whispered, "take all the time you need, Aibou. We will be here." I smiled and leaned in to kiss the man that has brought me so much comfort.

"I will be back a little later," I said, as I slipped my sneakers on and pulled my jacket over my head. I stood, grabbing the keys from the hook by the door as I swung my bag over my shoulder. "Thank you, lyubov moya, truly. I don't know where I would be without you and Maccachin," I said as I kissed Yuri one more time before taking off.

"You'll be ok, Aibou. I know in time you will be ok," Yuri whisepered from the bay window.

At the rink

"We are shut down for construction. Come back a little later in the off-season," a bored voice said from the back office.

"Ah, I completely forgot, I'm sorry, Yuko-chan," I mumbled, as I turned to walk towards the door.

"Ah, Viktor, it's great to see you. How are you doing?" she asked as she came around the counter, concern in her eyes.

"I'm ok as to be expected, I suppose," I shrugged, trying to keep my emotions at bay.

"The rink is yours," she said softly, as she wrapped her arms around me.

I smiled sadly. "Thank you for letting me do this, Yuko-chan. I definitely owe you," I said as I headed towards the locker room.

"Nah. You and Yuri are welcome here anytime you need a space to think or let your emotions out," she said, squeezing my hands.

In the locker room

I pulled my skates and IPod out of my bag as I kicked off my sneakers. After lacing them tighter than needed to, I stuffed my bag into my locker and slammed the door.

I sat in deafening silence as I stretched, lost in thought. Once I was ready to go, I stood and headed into the practice arena.

In the practice arena

Since the rink was closed for construction, the rink was completely empty, just what I needed. I shuffled through my IPod until I found the song that I was looking for and hooked it up to the speakers.

I took to the ice as the serene music filtered through the speakers.

As I always did, I closed my eyes and let the music take over my body. My throat tightened and my eyes burned as the emotions that I had pent up threatened to burst.

As the music faded away, I dropped to my knees, sobbing. "Aibou!" Yuri called, as he ran onto the ice and dropped to his knees. We sat together on the ice, overcome with emotion.

One month later

"We join you live from the Japan National Figure Skating Competition, where the best and brightest stars from around the globe have come to battle for a spot in the World Competition," Tanaka Sanoske said, turning to his fellow commentator Yamamoto Katsuya.

"That's right, Sanoske-san, we are definitely in for a spectacular show. all eyes will be on Viktor Nikiforov, the Russian Champion. He is making a debut back after taking a year off to coach Katsuki Yuri, his student-turned husband. He was unusually absent from the warm-up this morning, so it will be interesting to see just how prepared he is," Katsuya-san commented.

"All we can do is wait and see, Katsuya-san. We will see, indeed," Sanoske-san replied.

I sat away from the others, desperate to keep my emotions in check, my earbuds pressed firmly into my ears.

 _Come on, focus. This is just another competition, nothing new. Calm down and focus,_ I thought, as my eyes began to burn. _What is wrong with m-_

"Aibou, talk to me. What's wrong?" Yuri asked, wrapping his arms around my shoulders.

"I'm fine, lyubov moya. It's just a difficult time of year, is all," I said, smiling weakly.

He smiled, that reassuring smile that I love so much in this world. "I know it is, Aibou. It hurts me so much to see you in pain, knowing that there is nothing that I can do for you," he said, pulling me close. "But you are the strongest man that I know, and I know that your mom is watching over you."

He kissed my forehead and hugged me tightly, trying with all his strength to squeeze the worry and sadness from my body.

"Next up is Viktor Nikiforov," Katsuya-san announced as the arena roared.

My heart began to race as we made our way to the railing. Yuri knelt to tighten my laces, and, as he stood, pulled me closer to whisper the same reassurance that I often whispered to him.

"Aibou, remember: pretend that the crowd, the judges and the commentators aren't here. Pretend that we are back at home. Skate for yourself, and skate for me," he whispered in my ear as he kissed my forehead.

"Katya sent this to me after the funeral. She said to give it to you before the first competition of the season," he said pulling a small box from his jacket picket.

My breath caught in my throat as he opened the box. Inside was a silver chain with a blue-violet stone surrounded by diamonds. My mother's favorite necklace, and the one my father gave her the day they got married.

"Don't ever take your eyes off me," I whispered as I fastened the necklace, kissing Yuri.

A hush descended on the arena as I took to the ice. The music filtered through the speakers as my heart pounded in my chest.

"Viktor told us in his interview he designed this program as a dedication to his mother, who was tragically killed in a car accident a year ago," Katsuya-san mumbled.

"That's right, Katsuya-san. Viktor is skating to 'To Where You Are' by the American artist, Josh Groban," Sanoske-san muttered.

 _Who can say for certain  
Maybe you're still here  
I feel you all around me  
Your memory's so clear  
Deep in the stillness  
I can hear you speak  
You're still an inspiration  
Can it be_

 _Could it be that you never found peace after you left this world? Because I can still hear you speak to me, I can feel your presence around me. You were the inspiration behind all of my performances, mom…and I lost that when you were taken from me,_ I thought as I skated in time with the music.

"First up is one of his signature combinations, the Triple Flip, Quadruple Toe Loop," Sanoske-san muttered.

I launched off the ice, landing the Triple Flip, Quadruple Toe Loop that I had done so many times before, with little effort as the crowd cheered.

"And he nails it! A flawless combination!" cried Katsuya-san as the crowd cheered.

 _That you are my forever love  
And are you watching over me  
From up above  
Fly me up to where you are  
Beyond the distant star  
I wish upon tonight  
To see you smile  
If only for a while to know you're there  
A breath aways not far to where you are_

 _I wish that I could come to be with you, Mom. I wish I could see your smiling face here in the crowd tonight, watching my first competition back in over a year with the man that I love most in this world,_ I thought, as my eyes began to burn.

Flashback

 _It was the middle of winter, and my family had taken our annual trip to the mountains. Mom and Dad were seated by the fire, lost in conversation. I watched them as they chatted, seeing the love in my mother's eyes._

" _Come, let's go and skate!" Katya said, jumping up from her chair, her book laying abandoned._

 _The four of us went to change and Katya and I gathered our skates. "Vitya! Where are your mittens and scarf? You will catch cold!" Mom called, as she poked her head in the door frame._

" _Mom! We will be insi-"_

" _Nope! No arguments! Take your scarf and mittens!" Mom said with a hint of laughter in her voice._

 _We made our way to the rink, and, after storing our things in the lockers, headed towards the practice arena._

 _Mom and Dad settled in the bleachers, content to watch we Katya and I showed of everything we had learned._

" _Vitya! You first!" Katya whispered._

 _Grinning from ear to ear, I took to the ice and performed my exhibition program, "Stay Close to Me." By the end of the performance, Mom and Dad were at the railing, their applause filling the arena._

" _Vitya, that was beautiful!" Mom said, tears cascading down her face as she pulled me into a bone-breaking hug._

I smiled sadly at the memory, knowing that had been the last time Mom had seen me on the ice, even if it was just for fun.

 _Lie gently sleeping  
Here inside my dream  
And isn't faith believing  
All power can't be seen  
As my heart holds you  
Just one beat away  
I cherish all you gave me  
Everyday_

 _Stay with me, always, even if it's only in dreams that we can see one another. Every day, I reflect back on everything that you and Dad gave me, and every day I cherish the sacrifices you made so that I could follow my dream,_ I thought as I moved in time with the music.

As the music reached its apex, I launched off the ice, landing the Quadruple Axel, Triple Lutz that I have become known for.

"AND HE NAILS IT! ANOTHER FLAWLESS COMBINATION!" roared Katsuya-san as the crowd roared.

 _Cause you are my forever love  
Watching me from up above  
And I believe that angels breathe  
And that love will love on  
And never leave  
Fly me up to where you are  
Beyond the distant star  
I wish upon tonight  
To see you smile  
If only for a while to know you're there  
A breath aways not far to where you are_

 _I know you're there  
A breath aways not far to where you are_

 _I know you are watching over me, Mom. You sent Yuri to me so that I wouldn't be alone, so that I would find life and love again, after neglecting them for so long. I wish that I could see you tonight, even if only to see your beautiful smile,_ I thought with a sad smile.

As the music faded away, I glided to a stop, my hands raised to the ceiling. You could hear a pin drop, before the crowd roared and burst into applause.

I dropped to my knees, unable to hold back my emotions. Tears cascaded down my cheeks as my heart pounded in my chest.

"Never have we seen such an emotional performance from Viktor Nikiforov! As you can see, Katsuya-san, there isn't a dry eye in the house," sniffed Sanoske-san as he wiped his eyes on his sleeve.

After a minute, I got to my feet and greeted the crowd. "They are still cheering, Sanoske-san! You could feel the raw emotion that was poured forth from Viktor's performance," Katsuya-san said as his voice cracked.

I took one final bow and left the ice as the crowd continued to cheer, my head bowed.

I looked up in time to see Yuri throwing himself into my arms, tears cascading down his face. "Aibou, that was beautiful," Yuri whispered as we left the staging area. "Your mom would be so proud of you."

We sat in the kiss & cry area, waiting for my scores. Yuri took my hand in his, squeezing them gently.

"The scores for Viktor Nikiforov are in…A PERFECT SCORE!" roared Katsuya-san, as the crowd thundered in applause.

"Your mom would be incredibly proud of the man that you have become. She loves you just as much as I do," Yuri whispered in my ear as he threw his arms around me.

I buried my face in his neck, knowing that my mother was watching from above, her heart bursting with the pride only a parent could feel.

* * *

Translations:

lyubov moya-my love (Russian)


	11. The Exhibition (from Kuliko Jana)

We walked down the hill towards the ice rink, where everyone would meet us. "I can't believe it. We are finally married," I whispered as the tears that had welled in my eyes finally cascaded down my face.

"Indeed we are, _Mr. Nikiforov,_ " Viktor said, grinning as he wiped the cascading tears away and kissed me again. We had gone into the locker room to switch into our skates, something that I'm glad I had packed after all. He knelt in front of me, tightening my laces. "Ready to do this?" he asked, looking up.

Before he could move, I knelt to tighten his laces. I stood, nodding. Together, we walked to the rink, hand in hand. After taking a deep breath, we pushed the doors open to thunderous applause.

A sudden hush descended over the crowd as I took to the ice and stopped in the center as the music filtered through the speakers.

 _Bwana ni mwokozi wangu,_

 _Tena ni kiongozi wangu_

 _Ananipenda leo kuliko jana_

 _Baraka zake hazikwishi, si kama binadamu habadiliki_

I closed my eyes, losing myself in the music as I always do. I launched off the ice, landing the Triple Axel, Triple Toe Loop combination that I was known for.

 _Ananipenda leo kuliko jana_

 _Kuliko Jana_

 _Kuliko Jana_

 _Yesu nipende leo kuliko jana_

 _Kuliko Jana_

 _Kuliko Jana_

 _Yesu nipende leo kuliko jana_

I launched off the ice again, landing the Quadruple Axel that had become my signature during the Grand Prix Finals. The crowd roared as I moved in time with the music.

 _Nakuomba Mungu awasamehe_

 _Wangalijua jinsi unavyonipenda mimi wasingenisema_

 _Na maadui wangu nawaombe maisha marefu, wazidi kuona ukinibariki_

 _Ujue binadamu ni waajabu sana_

 _Walimkana Yesu mara tatu kabla jogoo kuwika_

 _Ujue binadamu ni waajabu sana_

 _Walimsulubisha Yesu Messiah bila kusita_

Hearing thunderous applause again, I opened my eyes as Viktor took my hand in his, our rings catching the light. He interlaced my fingers with his as we moved as one and skated in time with the music.

 _Bwana ni mwokozi wangu,_

 _Tena ni kiongozi wangu_

 _Ananipenda leo kuliko jana_

 _Baraka zake hazikwishi, si kama binadamu habadiliki_

 _Ananipenda leo kuliko jana_

 _Kuliko Jana_

 _Kuliko Jana_

 _Yesu nipende leo kuliko jana_

 _Kuliko Jana_

 _Kuliko Jana_

 _Yesu nipende leo kuliko jana_

He pulled me in front of him, and, wrapping his arms around my waist, lifted me into the air to the thunderous applause of the crowd.

 _Bwana ni mwokozi wangu, Tena ni mkombozi wangu_

 _Ananipenda leo kuliko jana_

 _Baraka zake hazikwishi, si kama binadamu habadiliki_

 _Ananipenda leo kuliko jana_

 _Kuliko Jana_

 _Kuliko Jana_

 _Yesu nipende leo kuliko jana_

 _Kuliko Jana_

 _Kuliko Jana_

 _Yesu nipende leo kuliko jana_

I leaned back in his arms as he spun me close to the ice. I straightened and let go of his hand. We launched off the ice, both landing another Quadruple Axel.

 _Wewe ndio nategemea (wewe), kufa kupona baba nakutegemea (wewe)_

 _Chochote kitanikatsia (uh-huh), kuingia mbinguni utaniondolea_

 _Wewe ndio nategemea (oooh), kufa kupona baba nakutegemea (nakutegemea)_

 _Chochote kitanikatsia kuingia mbinguni utaniondolea_

He wrapped his arms around my waist again, tossing me into the air and catching me again before I hit the ice as the music reached its apex. The crowd erupted into thunderous applause again.

 _Bwana ni mwokozi wangu, Tena ni mkombozi wangu_

 _Ananipenda leo kuliko jana_

 _Baraka zake hazikwishi, si kama binadamu habadiliki_

 _Ananipenda leo kuliko jana_

 _Kuliko Jana_

 _Kuliko Jana_

 _Nipende leo Kuliko Jana_

We spun in each other's arms, lost in each other's eyes. We landed one last combination and glided to a stop as the music faded away. I threw my arms around Viktor's neck as he leaned in to kiss me once more.

The crowd once again erupted into thunderous applause and cheering that could have definitely broken the sound barrier. We bowed and greeted the crowd and left the ice. We went back to the locker room to switch back to our dress shoes.

"Vitya, that was beautiful!" Katya cried, tears pouring down her face as she wrapped Viktor in her arms, squeezing him as soon as we stepped into the hallway.

"Katya! Let your brother breathe!" Aleksei said, pulling me into an equally as bone-breaking hug.

The four of us headed back to the lobby of the rink we could head back to the hotel for the reception.

* * *

An excerpt from my story Kuliko Jana..

* * *

Translations:

Aleksei-defender of mankind (Russian)

Katya-pure (Russian)


	12. Dance the Night Away (from Kuliko Jana)

"Your mother would be so proud of you, Vitya. She would have loved to see that performance," Aleksei said, wiping the tears from his eyes. Viktor nodded, his eyes looking up for a second. "I can imagine she was looking down watching us, Father," he said softly, smiling.

We walked through the lobby, down the hall towards the reception room. Katya and Aleksei walked in first and shut the doors behind them. "Ready for this?" Viktor asked, turning and grinning. I nodded. "I suppose I will get used to this, being married to a world champion," I said, grinning, taking his hand.

Viktor's grip on my hand tightened as the doors swung open. As we walked in, we were met with thunderous applause, cheering and tears.

"Oi, Katsudon! Congratulations!" growled a voice from behind me. Gulping, I turned to see Yurio and Otabek standing right behind me. "T-thank you, Yurio!" I said, smiling. Roughly, he pulled me into a bone-breaking hug before pushing me away and roughly turning to wipe his eyes.

"Congratulations to you both," Otabek said softly, smiling as he shook my hand and Viktor's. They moved away, no doubt to join the growing crowd around the dance floor.

"Your attention please!" Phichit called, hushing the room. "If the newlywed couple could please come to the center of the dance floor! They have the first dance!" I gulped as my heart began to race. Sensing the apprehension in my eyes, Viktor took my hand in his and led the way.

We took our place in the center of the dance floor, my body shaking. "Lyubov moya, focus on me. Only me," Viktor whispered in my ear as the music began to play.

 _Find me here, and speak to me  
I want to feel you, I need to hear you  
You are the light that's leading me to the place  
Where I find peace again  
You are the strength that keeps me walking  
You are the hope that keeps me trusting  
You are the life to my soul  
You are my purpose  
You're everything  
And how can I stand here with you  
And not be moved by you  
Would you tell me how could it be any better than this?_

Tuning everyone out, I closed my eyes and listened intently to the music. _It's weird, when I skate, it dosen't bother me to be in front of people. But I can't even dance at my own wedding. How pathetic is that,_ I thought.

 _You calm the storms and you give me rest  
You hold me in your hands  
You won't let me fall  
You steal my heart and you take my breath away  
Would you take me in, take me deeper now  
And how can I stand here with you and not be moved by you  
Would you tell me how could it be any better than this  
And how can I stand here with you and not be moved by you  
Would you tell me how could it be any better than this_

Feeling a hand gently on my chin, I opened my eyes. Viktor had pulled me close, looking deep into my eyes, capturing my heart just as he did the first time I had come face to face with him.

 _Cause you're all I want, you're all I need  
You're everything, everything  
You're all I want  
You're all I need  
You're everything, everything  
You're all I want  
You're all I need  
You're everything, everything  
You're all I want  
You're all I need  
Everything, everything_

 _Viktor is everything I could ever want, and all that I could ever need. He completes my life,_ I thought, grinning from ear to ear.

 _And how can I stand here with you and not be moved by you  
Would you tell me how could it be any better than this  
And how can I stand here with you and not be moved by you  
Would you tell me how could it be any better-any better than this  
And how can I stand here with you and not be moved by you  
Would you tell me how could it be any better than this  
Would you tell me how could it be any better than this_

 _How can life get any better than this? I have no idea, but I am ready to face whatever comes at me,_ I thought.

As the music faded away, Viktor leaned in to kiss me again. I wrapped my arms around him and leaned in to the kiss, completely forgetting everyone in the room. The room burst into applause, bringing us back to reality. We left the dace floor as the music changed and people flooded towards us.

"Viktor, welcome to our family!" Mom cried, wrapping Viktor in her arms and squeezing.

"Hiroko, don't crush him, now!" Dad chuckled, as Mom pulled me into her arms, squeezing me.

The party raged on into the wee hours of the morning, with people dancing and celebrating. We had taken to the dance floor again, this time, with no apprehension (on my end, anyway.)

Phichit announced the last dance, then took to the center of the dance floor. I sat and watched, grinning from ear to ear as Viktor danced with his sister.

Seeing that I was sitting down, Phichit and Issa came and pulled me to the dace floor. We danced until we dropped (literally.)

Viktor came and pulled me to my feet, then turned to help Phichit and Issa to their feet. Chris has staggered to his feet and flopped down in a chair next to Guang-Hong and Minami, who had collapsed in their chairs.

Lee Seung Gil had gotten to his feet and was slowly walking towards me. "Congratulations on your wedding. I look forward to seeing you again," he said softly, shaking my hand.

"I'm glad you were able to make it. Thank you so much," I said, shaking his hand. He nodded and walked towards the doors.

Those who had stayed until the last dance slowly got to their feet and staggered towards the doors, shaking our hands and hugging us before leaving.

"Vitya, just because you are a newly wed, dosen't mean you can shirk your practice. I expect to see you in the rink first thing after you get back from your honeymoon," Yakov said, clasping Viktor on the shoulder.

"I'll be there," he replied, grinning.

"Congratulations, you two," Lilia said curtly, before she and Yakov left the room.

We were the last ones to leave the room. "What do you say, lyubov moya? Ready to call it a night?" Viktor said, grinning.

"I'm so ready to drop," I groaned, grinning.

* * *

An excerpt from my story Kuliko Jana..

* * *

Translations:

Aleksei-defender of mankind (Russian)

Katya-pure (Russian)

lyubov moya-my love (Russian)


	13. Love Me Like You Do

_I don't own the characters from Yuri on Ice, nor do I own the song 'Love Me Like You Do' by Ellie Goulding. The only things that I own are the plot and the characters of Hali Damaskenos, Delphinia, Zephyra and Lysander_

* * *

We touched down in the stunning island of Santorini, off the coast of Greece. Trudging through hours of jet-lag, we went down to the lower level to collect our luggage. After collecting our luggage, and navigating the maze that was the Santorini Airport, we waited outside for our cab.

Our driver, a middle-aged Greek man chatted animatedly as he drove through the city. "Are you here for vacation or business?" our driver asked in a heavy Greek accent, looking in the rearview mirror. "We are here on our honeymoon actually," Viktor said, smiling as he squeezed my hand.

Our cab creaked to a stop in front of the opulent Canaves Oia Hotel. I pulled our luggage from the trunk as Viktor handed our driver a tip. "Enjoy your stay in Santorini," he said, waving as he pulled away.

"Ready?" Viktor asked, smiling. Silently, I took his hand as we entered the hotel. It was a stunning building, with open architecture that welcomed the sound of the sea waves gently hitting against the cliffs.

"Ah! Welcome to the Canaves Oia Hotel! Do you have a reservation?" the front desk agent asked, grinning as we approached. "Yes, it should be under Nikiforov," I said, handing her the print out my parents gave me.

"Ah, yes! Here we are! You are in 709, the honeymoon suite. The restaurant starts serving at 6pm. Enjoy your stay here in Santorini!" she said, smiling as she handed me the key to our room. "Thank you!" I said, smiling.

We walked to the elevator, and, after a while, arrived at the 7th floor. After walking down the long hallway, we finally found our room. "Ah! Here we are!" I said, stopping in front of the room. The door clicked, and Viktor pushed open the door.

"Wow! This room is stunning! What a view of the island!" Viktor whispered as I set our luggage down in the bedroom, pausing to look out the window.

"Dad did say this room had the best view," I said, grinning as I joined him on the balcony for a moment.

"I'm going to shower, I'll be back," I said, pecking him on the cheek. I went to shower and change for dinner, as Viktor continued to stare off the balcony.

"Aibou, do you want to shower before we go down for dinner?" I asked as I came into the sitting room towel drying my hair. "Aibou? Are you ok?"

"Oh, yes, I'm fine, lyubov moya," he said, turning and smiling. He pecked me on the cheek and went to shower.

I stood staring off of the balcony, fiddling with the ring on my right hand. _A lot has changed in such a short period of time. With so much still to say. Who knew in one year, I would be happily married to my idol, the man that I love most in this world,_ I thought.

Suddenly, a pair of arms enveloped me from behind, and a warm voice whispered in my ear, "Ready?" I turned, smiling. "Yep, let's go," I said.

My stomach growled loudly as we rode the elevator down to the restaurant. Silently, I took Viktor's hand as the elevator arrives at the lobby floor. "Ah, here we are," I said, as we walked through the door.

"Welcome, gents! Just two for you this evening?" the host asked, smiling. "Right, if you would follow me." He led us to the corner of the restaurant. "Here we are," he said, seating us before disappearing.

As Viktor started to say something, our server approached our table, a bottle of wine and two stemmed glasses in his hand. He set our glasses down, and chatting animatedly. "Are you folks here for business or just visiting?" he asked.

"We are here on our honeymoon, actually," I said, grinning as my ring caught the low light.

Our server grinned. "Well, welcome to Santorini! Congratulations on your marriage!" he replied, grinning. After taking our dinner order, our server left, leaving us to our conversation.

"So, I was thinking, how do you feel about taking a cruise around the caldera tomorrow afternoon?" Viktor asked, as the light of the flickering candles caught his ring. "Santorini is famous for being the caldera of the Thera volcano, I thought it would be something to check out."

I stared silent, contemplating what Viktor had just said. Silently, I reached across the table and took his hand in mine. "I would love that," I said, grinning from ear to ear.

"It's settled then," Viktor said, smiling as he kissed my hand.

"Right then, here we are!" our server said, setting our dishes down before us. My stomach gave an impatient growl, as I took a sip of wine. "Can I get you anything else?" he asked, stepping back.

"No, I think this is perfect," I said, smiling. Our server nodded, saying, "enjoy your dinner, folks." He walked away, leaving us to our conversation.

We sat in relative silence, eating our dinner, thinking of the numerous things we could do in our time on the island.

Soon enough, we were finished and our server was back. "Did you gents enjoy everything? Is there anything else I can get for you?" he asked, as he gathered our empty plates and placed them on an empty tray.

"I think we are set," Viktor said, smiling as he reached into his jacket pocket for his wallet.

Our server held up his hand. "Your meal has been taken care of, so you are all set. Enjoy the rest of your stay in Santorini," he said, grinning.

I stared at our server, puzzled. "Who took care of our meal?" I asked.

"I was told to keep it a secret, but you gents are all set! Enjoy the rest of your stay!" our server said, winking as he left with the tray of dishes.

We stood, and left the restaurant, ready to go back to our room. "I'm ready for a warm shower and to crash," Viktor said into my shoulder as we arrived at the 7th floor. "Same here. We've had a long day of travel," I yawned as we walked down the hallway towards our room.

After another warm shower, we crawled into bed. Viktor fell asleep instantly, wrapping his arms around me.

The next day

I awoke to the gentle sound of the waves, as the bright Santorini sun filtered through the linen curtains.

As silently as I could, I slipped from bed to stand out on the balcony, lost in my thoughts. _So much has changed in this past year. I won Silver at the Grand Prix Finals, I made some amazing friends, but most of all, I married the man that I love most in this world. How did I get so lucky?_ I thought, grinning as my ring caught the morning sun.

Suddenly, I left a pair of arms encircle my shoulders, and warm breath on my neck. "Good morning, _Mr. Nikiforov_. What are you doing out here all alone?" Viktor whispered, kissing my neck.

"Just reflecting…and wondering how I got so lucky," I said, leaning against Viktor's chest. We stood on the balcony for quite a while, taking in the beautiful view.

"It's getting late, we should get ready if we want to make it to the dock in time for our cruise," I said, looking up at Viktor. We walked back into the room and got ready to head out for the day.

That afternoon

We slowly made our way towards the docks, walking through town, taking in the sights, sounds and smells of the local culture. the smell of food that was being carried on the breeze made my stomach growl as we walked to the docks.

We boarded the little boat named _Akrotiri Oia_ and cast off from the docks. "Wait! What about the Captain?" I asked, as Viktor took the helm.

"So I have a little surprise. A good friend of mine, Hali Damaskenos loaned me his boat for the duration of our stay in Santorini. So, _Mr. Nikiforov_ , I am your Captain for the day!" Viktor said, grinning.

Grinning, I settled into my place on the prow of the little boat, watching as Viktor masterfully navigate.

After a while of sailing, we pulled into a little cove and docked our boat. "And now, lyubov moya, we descend onto the caldera!" Viktor said, grinning. Clothing was shed and stored in the prow of the little boat, and, after making sure our dive gear was ready, dove into the crystal clear waters.

We explored the water world that was the Santorini caldera until our air supply started getting low. Together, we ascended and broke the surface, swimming back to the boat.

By the time we reached the dock, the sun had begun to set, casting the watery horizon in a stunning watercolor sunset.

That night, instead of going back to the hotel, we spent the night on the beach, lost in each other's arms.

At the Pagodromio

After a quick breakfast, I headed to the Pagodromio. I had a new idea for a free skate program that I wanted to work on, an honeymoon surprise for Viktor.

"Welcome, Katsuki-san! It is nice to put a face to the voice," Delphinia said as I ran through the door.

"T-thank you so much for your flexibility, Delphinia-san! I definitely owe you!" I wheezed, grinning.

She grinned, shaking her head. "Any friend of Yuko-chan's is a friend of mine! You are welcome here anytime you are in town! I will keep Viktor out of the rink while you work," she said, winking.

I laughed, knowing fully well that she wouldn't hesitate to send him away. "He can come into the building, but you have to keep him away from the rink I'm in. I don't want him to see it until it's perfect," I said, as I headed to the locker room to get ready.

In the locker room

I pulled my skates out of my backpack, before stuffing it into my locker. After silent stretching and reflection, I stood up and headed to the practice arena.

In the arena

"Hey Yuri! What are you doing here?" asked Zephyra, as she looked up.

"Hi Zephyra-kun, it's good to see you, it's been a long time! Hey, can you hook this up to the speakers and press play for me when I give you the signal?" I asked, handing her my Ipod.

"Sure! Is this a new piece that you and Viktor cooked up for the next competition?" she asked, as I set my jacket and glasses on the railing.

"Nah, this one is all on me this time. It's an honeymoon surprise for Viktor for next season," I grinned, as I glided out to the center of the ice. "Ok, Zephyra, ready when you are!"

"'Kay!" she called, pressing play on my Ipod. The opening notes broke the serene silence of the arena.

I lost myself in the music, forgetting that Zephyra and, for that matter, everyone else in the building dropped everything to come and watch once the music started.

As the music came to a close, I glided to a stop, my heart pounding in my chest. Suddenly I was snapped back to reality as the arena exploded in applause and cheering.

"YURI, THAT WAS AMAZING!" Lysander shouted.

"VIKTOR WILL LOVE IT!" Delphinia screamed, as she wiped her eyes on her sleeve.

 _I can only hope he will love it,_ I thought as I glided over to the others, my heart pounding in my ears.

Several months later

"Welcome figure skating fans, to the Russia Figure Skating Championships! Today, we have the best and brightest stars competing for a place in the national championship!" announced Takamura Sanoske.

"That's right, Sanoske-san! All morning we have been watching as these stars rehearse, and, let me tell you, boy are you in for a show! All eyes are on Katsuki Yuri, the 24-year-old from Hasetsu and his husband Viktor Nikiforov. Under Viktor's coaching, Yuri has beaten every personal best score that he has received since setting foot on the ice. I wonder what they have in store for us today," mused Kitamura Akio.

My heart pounded in my chest, and my mind raced as I stretched, my earbuds pressed firmly in my ears. "Lyubov moya, _relax_ , you will be fine," Viktor said gently, as he put his arms around me from behind. "I'm sure whatever you have been working on will be brilliant."

"I hope you will like it, Aibou. I have been working so hard on making it perfect, that I am scared I will mess up," I whispered, my body shaking.

Viktor tightened his grip, and whispered, "Lyubov moya, you know what I always tell you. Forget the crowd and forget the competition! Pretend that you are back at the rink, and it's just the two of us. Skate for yourself…and skate for me," he whispered, spinning me around gently. He pressed a kiss to my lips, as the announcers said my name.

"It's time, Lyubov moya. Go get 'em," he said with a smile, his hands interlaced with mine.

I pulled him close, looking him in the eyes, and said, "don't ever take your eyes off of me!" I kissed him before entering the ice.

A hush descended on the crowd as I took my place in the center of the ring. The music filtered through the speakers, shattering the silence.

 _You're the light, you're the night  
You're the color of my blood  
You're the cure, you're the pain  
You're the only thing I wanna touch  
Never knew that it could mean so much, so much_

 _I never knew that your presence in my life would mean so much. You are everything that I searched for in my life,_ I thought as I skated in time with the music.

 _You're the fear, I don't care  
Cause I've never been so high  
Follow me to the dark  
Let me take you past our satellites  
You can see the world you brought to life, to life_

"First up is his signature move: the Quadruple Axel, Triple Toe Loop. Can he execute this incredibly difficult combination?" Sanoske-san asked, as the crowd held its breath.

 _Indeed, you were the one that brought me back to life after that humiliating defeat at the Grand Prix Finals,_ I thought as I launched myself off the ice.

"And he nails the combination! Incredible!" cried Akio-san as the crowd roared.

 _Only you can set my heart on fire, on fire  
Yeah, I'll let you set the pace  
Cause I'm not thinking straight  
My head spinning around I can't see clear no more  
What are you waiting for? _

_I can't think straight when I am with you. My heart is ablaze with the passion that you infused within me. The newfound passion for skating, my love for you…it causes my head to spin. Yet I would not trade it for the world! You are the only one that sets my heart on fire,_ I thought, grinning.

I scanned the coach's box for Viktor, who was watching me with rapt attention, his beautiful blue eyes brimming with tears.

 _I'll let you set the pace  
Cause I'm not thinking straight  
My head spinning around I can't see clear no more  
What are you waiting for?_

"Here comes his final quad, a Quadruple Toe Loop, Triple Salcow combination," Akio-san muttered.

"In the past, Yuri has only been able to land this combination once. Will he be able to do it again?" Sanoske-san asked the crowd at large.

 _I will prove that I can land it!_ I thought _,_ grinning to myself. I launched, spinning in the air, earning a gasp from everyone in the arena.

"Excellent!" Akio-san exclaimed, as the crowd cheered.

I closed my eyes, losing myself once more in the music, knowing that the crowd was hanging onto my every move.

 _Love me like you do, la-la-love me like you do (like you do)  
Love me like you do, la-la-love me like you do (yeah)  
Touch me like you do, ta-ta-touch me like you do  
What are you waiting for? (ahhh)_

I ended my performance, my hand outstretched towards Viktor, my heart pounding in my chest and mind racing. You could hear a pin drop, before the crowd erupted with thunderous applause and deafening cheers.

Grinning to myself, I greeted the crowd once last time and left the ice. "Lyubov moya, that was flawless!" he whispered as he held me in his arms, kissing me passionately.

"I'm glad you liked my performance Aibou, but aren't you angry I went behind your back and choreographed my own performance? Especially when we were on our honeymoon," I asked, afraid of the answer that he would give me.

"Yuri, look at me. I'm not angry, in fact, I am incredibly proud of you. That was flawless, the best performance I have ever seen," he whispered.

We waited with baited breath for my scores, his arms still around my shoulders. "The scores for Katsuki Yuri are…A PERFECT SCORE!" bellowed Sanoske-san, as the crowd erupted for the millionth time.

"You see, lyubov moya, they loved your performance! They love you as much as I do," Viktor said as he hugged me, tears rolling down his face.

As we left the rink at the end of the event, my first place medal around my neck, Viktor stopped and turned to me, a glimmer in his beautiful blue eyes.

"I never thought I would find the two things that were missing from my life for so many years," he said quietly, as he stepped forward and wrapped me in his arms. "But when I met you I knew that I had found them at last. I love, you, _Yuri Nikiforov_ , and I will love you always."

"And I never thought I would experience love in my lifetime," I mumbled into his shoulder. "But I have, and I will love you always _Viktor Nikiforov_."

I stood there, wrapped in the arms of the man that I loved most in this world. The man that made me complete for the first time in my life.

Translations

 _lyubov moya_ _-_ my love (Russian)

Damaskenos-of Damascus (Greek)

Hali-the sea (Greek)

Delphinia- dolphin (Greek)

Zephyra-West wind (Greek)

Lysander- Defender of mankind (Greek)


	14. Ashes of Eden

_I do not own the characters from Yuri on Ice, nor do I own the song Ashes of Eden by Breaking Benjamin. I advise you to read at your own discretion with this one. It may contain triggers for those who have been through physical or emotional trauma...enjoy!_

* * *

It was a warm summer's night during the off-season, and I was getting ready to head out to meet up with everyone to celebrate one of the the biggest milestones in my friend's life: his 18th birthday.

"Are you going to be ok going out tonight? I know how much large crowds make you nervous," Viktor asked from the doorway.

I looked over my shoulder, grinning. "Aibou, I'll be ok. It's not every day Yurio turns 18," I said, buttoning my shirt. I felt two arms encircle my shoulders, and warm breath at my ear. "I know, but I just can't help but worry about you. Perhaps I should go with you," Viktor whispered.

I turned in his arms until we were face to face. "I'll be fine. I won't drink too much, and I promise I won't be out too late. I want to be able to function in practice tomorrow," I said, smiling.

I felt his body relax as he flashed that smile that I love so much. "Alright, alright, I won't hover," he said. We headed downstairs as I straightened my shirt one last time before grabbing my jacket. "Remember, don't drink too much. Don't stray too fa-"

"Aibou, _relax_. I'll be fine. Yurio won't let anything happen to me. I'll see you later," I said, grinning as I leaned in to kiss him.

"Have fun, lyubov moya," Viktor said as I walked out the door, a foreboding feeling in his stomach.

At Rodnya

I walked the short distance from the apartment to the club that I would be meeting everyone at, my earbuds pressed firmly into my ears. _Ashes of Eden_ by the American band Breaking Benjamin filtering through as the last song faded away.

I arrived at the club and, after flashing my ID to the bouncer at the door, walked through the front door. Loud music filtered through the speakers as a huge throng of people danced in close proximity to one another in the center of the room.

"Oi! Yuri-kun!" Chris shouted over the music, waving me over. Grinning, I walked over to where Chris and Phichit were sitting at the bar.

"What can I get you?" the bartender asked me as he leaned against the bar, grinning at me. "Whiskey and Coke, please," I said, turning my attention to the dance-floor. Yurio and Otabek were on the dance-floor, lost in each other's gaze. "It's about time they got together!" I grinned, staring as they danced.

The song faded away as the crowd cheered. Otabek and Yurio fought their way through the crowd and joined us at the bar.

"It is good to see you, Yuri-kun," Otabek said, smiling as he offered his hand. I shook it, grinning. "It's great to see you as well, Otabek-kun. I am glad to see Yurio so happy," I said, taking the last swig from my drink.

"Oi! Zip it, Katsudon! Where's Vitya, anyway? Usually we don't see the two of you apart," Yurio said, grinning as Otabek wrapped his arms around him.

"He is at home, swamped with plans for next season. He wanted to come, but I told him I am in good hands," I said, shaking my head and grinning as I set my empty glass on the bar.

The DJ announced the next song. "Up next is _Ashes of Eden_ by Breaking Benjamin," he said as the crowd cheered. Phichit, Chris and I jumped up to join the growing crowd on the dancefloor. By the time the song faded away, we were ready to drop.

I flopped down on my chair and took a swig of my second drink of the evening, feeling the alcohol slowly go to my head.

Together, our little group danced, laughed and drank the night away. I happened to look down at my watch, and was shocked at the time. "By God! It's already 3am! I should probably get home. I promised Viktor I wouldn't be out too late," I said as I stood.

"That's true, Celestino will have my head if I'm hung over at practice in the morning," Phichit said, his face flushed from the alcohol.

We stood and headed towards the door. Chris had his arm around me, Phichit had his arm around my waist. Otabek and Yurio were in their own little world.

"Are you gonna make it home ok, Katsudon? Vitya and Yakov would kill me if something would happen to you," Yurio slurred, as Otabek wrapped his arm around his waist.

Phichit and Chris nodded in agreement. "We can walk you home, it's not too far," Chris said as Phichit stumbled forward slightly.

"Nah, it's not too far away. I'll be ok. You guys call me when you get home," I said, grinning. "Goodnight! Happy birthday, Yurio!" They nodded as we went our separate ways.

I was half way down the sidewalk when it donned on me: I had left my jacket at the club. I turned and ran back down the sidewalk. I ran into the deserted club, breathless. "I'm so sorry, I know you are closed! I realized I forgot my jacket," I wheezed.

"It's quite alright. I can make an exception for the rising star of Russia," the bartender grinned. "Can I pour you another drink?"

I shook my head as I edged towards the table we had been sitting at, eager to get my jacket and get home before Viktor came looking for me. "No, thank you though. I just came to get my jacket and go home," I said politely.

"Aw, come on! It's just one drink," the bartender said as he set two glasses on the bar.

Against my better judgement, I caved. "Alright, one drink," I said, setting my jacket on the bar as I settled into my seat.

The bartender came around and sat next to me, moving the bar-stool closer than necessary. "I've watched you all evening. You've got some great moves," he leered as he brushed my leg gently with his hand.

I took a nervous swig of my drink, feeling it hit me harder than normal. "Thanks for the drink, but I should be getting home," I slurred as I stood.

I took a few steps forward, and toppled to the floor. I couldn't move, nor could I scream as the bartender stood over me, unbuckling his belt. "You are going to enjoy this," he purred as he laid on top of me.

My heart pounded in my chest and hot tears poured from my eyes as the bartender leaned in closer. In what felt like a millennium, he stood up, and, after grinning lecherously, left the bar, leaving me where I lay.

Feeling whatever it was slowly fade away, I stumbled to my feet. I staggered out the door, towards the general direction of what I hoped was my apartment.

At home

After staggering down the hall, I finally arrived at the door to my apartment. I fumbled with the key and, after flinging the door open, staggered inside.

"Ah, lyubov moya welc-what the hell happened?!" Viktor asked in horror as he looked up. He flew off the couch and caught me just in time as I collapsed to the floor.

I shook violently in Viktor's arms as he carried me to the couch. After making sure I was settled, Viktor snatched his phone off the coffee table.

"Come on! Pick up the da-Yurio! What the hell happened tonight?" Viktor growled as I shook violently.

At the ER: the Exam Room

My eyes were squeezed tightly shut as the doctor performed the invasive exam, mumbling to himself and his nurse in Russian as she took notes. Viktor hovered next to me, squeezing my hand, reaching over to wipe the tears that were cascading down my face.

"Mr. Nikiforov, can I speak to you outside for a moment?" the doctor asked in Russian when he looked up.

My heart thundered in my chest, my eyes heavy. "Yuri, lyubov moya _,_ I'll be right back, I promise," he whispered in my ear before kissing my forehead, as I flinched.

Viktor followed the doctor outside.

The Hallway

"Mr. Nikiforov, I am so sorry to tell you this, but your husband has numerous injuries consistent with assault. We found several drugs in his system that would have rendered him conscious but enable to move or scream. I will be honest, Mr. Nikiforov, Yuri is in for a long difficult recovery, physically, emotionally and mentally," the doctor said.

Viktor's heart thundered in his chest as his eyes welled with tears. "Who could have done this?" he growled, clenching his hands until his knuckles were white.

"God only kn-" the doctor was interrupted when they heard screaming coming from the exam room.

The exam room

Viktor and the doctor came sprinting back into the room. "NO! DON'T TOUCH ME! DON'T TOUCH ME, PLEASE!" I screamed, thrashing in my sleep.

Viktor ran to my side, whispering in my ear. " _Lyubov moya_ , calm yourself. I'm here. What the hell happened? I thought you gave him something to relax him?!" Viktor growled at the doctor as the nurse came running with a new syringe in her hand.

"We did. It must not have been strong enough," the nurse said coolly as she injected the stronger dose into my IV.

"When can I take him home? He has been through too much tonight!" Viktor hissed, whirling to face the doctor. The doctor shook his head. "We must keep him for observation, but by my estimation you can take him home in the morning," the doctor said as he and the nurse left.

The next morning

After a fitful night sleep (if you want to call it that) I awoke. I must have been moved at some point in the night, because I was in a different and unfamiliar room. _Where am I? how did I ge-_ "Lyubov moya! Thank God! You're awake! How are you feeling?" Viktor cried as he flew out of the chair.

"I'm tired and sore. What the hell happened to me?" I asked, my voice hoarse.

I could see his eyes well with tears as he took a deep breath. "You went out with the guys last night to celebrate Yurio's birthday. Lyubov moya, y-you were assaulted at the club after hours," Viktor said, tears cascading down his face.

My heart lurched in my chest as my mind raced. _I remember! I remember that night! I couldn't scream!_ I thought.

"Yuri, I'm so sorry. I'm sorry I wasn't there to protect you," Viktor sobbed as he threw his arms around me.

My heart raced and my body tensed at the physical contact. I violently flinched and pulled away and curled onto my side, desperate to get away from his touch. Before either of us could say something, a knock sounded at the door and a familiar face appeared in the doorway.

"Oi, Katsudon! Glad to see you're still with us!" Yurio said, his eyes bloodshot. He was followed closely by Phichit, Chris and Otabek.

"I'll let you visit. I'll be back in a bit," Viktor mumbled, grabbing his coat as he rushed out the door.

Yurio followed Viktor's back until he was out the door. "What in hell was that about?" he hissed. And so, for the next half hour, I relived every agonizing second. "And that's when you guys showed up," I sobbed, ringing my hands in my lap.

"I'll kill those bastards!" Yurio hissed, jumping to his feet, his eyes bright with rage. Otabek pulled on his arm gently to get him to settle down. "Settle yourself, Yura," Otabek whispered as he squeezed Yurio's hand.

I was silent as I listened to the guys furiously mumble back and forth. My mind was on Viktor, and the way that I had reacted to his touch.

One Month later

It was one month after the assault, and, as expected I had my good days and my bad days. I was even making progress in the physical side of my relationship with Viktor.

He was kind enough to give me space on the days that I couldn't bear to be touched, and was my rock when I needed him most. He even set me up with a therapist to help me deal with the trauma.

"I wake up in the middle of the night screaming at times, but I haven't been running out of the room to the office lately. Viktor stops me before I can run out of the room. My friends have been taking turns staying with me on the off-chance that Viktor has to go out of town for business," I said in the last meeting with my therapist. "I am truly blessed."

"That is great news, Yuri-kun! See, I knew you had nothing to worry about! After today, we won't have to meet," my therapist asked at the end on our final session. "I am incredibly proud of all the progress you have made, Yuri-kun."

After the final session, I bid a tearful goodbye to my therapist, and headed home.

At the Regional competition, several months later

"Welcome ice skating fans to the new season! We are here live from the Moscow Regional Competition, where the best and brightest have come to fight for a place in the National competition," announced Takamura Sanoske, a seasoned commentator.

"That's right Sanoske-san. We have been watching the skaters all morning, and boy, the judges have a tough job ahead," Mezuri Akiza replied.

I sat far away from the other competitors, my mind racing and my heart thundering in my chest. I tuned out the commentators and the other skaters, and stretched.

I jumped out of my skin when I felt a pair of arms encircle me from behind, but relaxed in an instant when I recognized the voice. "Lyubov moya, _relax_. I know you will do just fine," Viktor whispered in my ear.

"I know. I just don't want to screw up my routine. It's my first time back in competition form since the…" my voice trailed away.

Viktor gently spun me around to face him, taking my chin in his hand. "You know what I always tell you, lyubov moya: forget the crowd! Forget the competition! Pretend that you are back in St. Petersburg at the rink, and it's just the two of us. Skate for yourself…and skate for me," he whispered. He pressed a kiss to my lips as the commentators called my name.

"Representing Russia is Yuri Nikiforov," Akiza-san announced as the crowd cheered.

"It's time, Aibou. Go get 'em," he said with a smile, his hands interlace with mine as we walked to the entrance to the ice. I pulled him close, looking him in the eyes, and whispered, "don't ever take your eyes off of me!" I kissed him gently before entering the ice.

"This is another program by Yuri Nikiforov. He has decided to take alternative approach to choosing music," Sanoske-san muttered.

"That's right Sanoske-san. This is Yuri's first appearance on the ice since he was violently assaulted several months ago," Akiza-san replied.

I took my place in the center of the arena as a hush descended on the crowd and the music filtered through the speakers.

 _Will the faithful be rewarded  
When we come to the end  
Will I miss the final warning  
From the lie that I have lived  
Is there anybody calling  
I can see the soul within  
And I am not worthy  
I am not worthy of this_

 _What can I do to repay you? Viktor, Phichit, Chris, Yurio, Otabek, my family…you have all done so much for me. I'm not worthy of your love or friendship,_ I thought as I skated in time with the music.

"Up first is his signature Quadruple Axel, Triple Toe Loop combination," muttered Sanoske-san.

I launched myself off the ice, spinning through the air and landing the combination flawlessly. "A flawless combination!" cried Sanoske-san as the crowd cheered.

 _Are you with me after all  
Why can't I hear you  
Are you with me through it all  
Then why can't I feel you  
Stay with me, don't let me go  
Because there's nothing left at all  
Stay with me, don't let me go  
Until the Ashes of Eden fall_

 _There was nothing left of me, I was hollow inside. But you never let me go, not even when I screamed at any little human touch. You stayed with me through it all,_ I thought.

Flashback

 _It was my first night home after being in the hospital, and, that night, I suffered my first nightmare._

" _NO! PLEASE! NO! STOP!" I screamed as I ran out of our bedroom. I ran towards the office and slammed the door, desperate to get away from the demon that plagued my nightmare._

 _I ran and cowered under Viktor's desk, my knees drawn tightly to my chest and my hands clasped tightly over my ears._

" _Lyubov moya! Look at me! It's me, its Viktor. You're safe! He can't hurt you again," Viktor said, as he wrapped his arms around me, Maccachin resting his head gently in my lap._

 _For the rest of the night, we sat under the desk, Viktor's arms wrapped tightly around me as I clung to his warmth desperately._

I blinked, determined to not let the pain of the recent past come flooding back.

 _Will the darkness fall upon me  
When the air is growing thin  
Will the light begin to pull me  
To its everlasting will  
I can hear the voices haunting  
There is nothing left to fear  
And I am still calling  
I am still calling to you_

 _Every time I call to you, every time I screamed in my sleep, you were there to protect me from my nightmares,_ I thought.

I launched off the ice as the music reached its apex, landing another prefect Quadruple Axel. "A stunning Quadruple Axel!" cried Akiza-san as the crowd roared.

 _Why can't I hear you  
Stay with me, don't let me go  
Because there's nothing left at all  
Stay with me, don't let me go  
Until the Ashes of Eden fall  
Heaven above me, take my hand  
Shine until there's nothing left but you  
Heaven above me, take my hand  
Shine until there's nothing left but you_

 _You were my light and my salvation. You brought me back to the light and chased away my demons,_ I thought as newfound determination surged through my body. _I am a survivor, and no one can take that from me!_

I glided to a stop as the music faded away, my hands raised towards the ceiling. You could hear a pin drop before the crowd burst into thunderous applause.

"A standing ovation for the stunning return of Yuri Nikiforov!" roared Sanoske-san as he wiped his eyes on his sleeve.

I bowed and greeted the crowd one last time before leaving the ice. There to greet me, as he always has, was Viktor, the man that I love most in this world. My salvation.

"Lyubov moya! That was stunning!" he whispered in my ear, wiping his eyes on his jacket. We sat in the kiss and cry, waiting for my scores with bated breath.

"The scores for Yuri Nikiforov are in!" Akiza-san said as a hush descended on the crowd once more.

"A PERFECT SCORE! YURI NIKIFOROV HAS TURNED TRAGEDY INTO NEWFOUND INSPIRATION!" roared Sanoske-san as the crowd roared.

Once again, Viktor threw his arms around me, his brilliant blue eyes brimming with tears. "You are a survivor, _l_ _yubov moya_! You are loved by millions and an inspiration to us all," he whispered in my ear.

I leaned forward to kiss him, the one that saved me from my deepest demons. I knew that, in his arms, I was safe.

* * *

Translations

lyubov moya-my love (Russian)


	15. Give Me a Sign

_I do not own Yuri on Ice, its character or the song 'Give Me a Sign' by Breaking Benjamin...Enjoy this one, told from Yurio's POV :)_

* * *

The sun filtered through the blinds of our apartment, a gentle reminder that I had to get up and actually be productive today, as much as I didn't want to.

I stretched out, much like my cat does when he gets tired of being curled up in the same position. "Yura, _aristan-im_ , why are you awake so early? It is Sunday, the day for rest," mumbled a voice behind me as he wrapped his arms around me.

I closed my eyes for a moment, smiling. " _Zvezda moya,_ we have to go to the rink. Yakov will have a conniption fit if we are late, let alone not show up," I said as I opened my eyes and grinning, turning in his arms.

He smiled, rolling his eyes. "Yakov will have to come here and rip you from my arms if he wants you there so badly," he growled, tightening his grip on me as he leaned in to kiss me.

We laid peacefully lost in each other's gaze until the buzzing of the phone could no longer be ignored.

Groaning, I reached behind me to grope for my phone on the night stand, not wanting to break my gaze. "Let's see ten missed calls and eight voice messages from Yakov and…oh my God," I said, bolting up as my heart stopped in my chest.

Otabek sat up, his eyes full of concern. "Yura, what is it? What is the matter?" he asked. "Yura, talk to me."

I was too stunned to reply. My heart thundered in my chest as I stared at the name listed under the last two missed calls. "The last two calls…they're from my mother," I whispered.

"I had no idea you and your mother were communicating," Beka said, as he wrapped his arms around my shoulders, squeezing me. "We aren't. I have no idea why she would be calling me," I croaked, jumping as my phone vibrated in my hand.

"She is calling again. Yura, would you like me to speak with her?" Beka whispered as I stared at the vibrating phone in my hand. "No, I-I'll answer," I said.

With shaking hands, I pressed the answer key. "What the hell do you want?" I growled, my heart racing.

"A fine welcome for your mother, Yuratchka. I know how you feel about me, but now is not the time for hostility. I am calling about Dedushka," my mother said primly. She continued to talk, but the phone slid out of my hand, clattering to the floor. "Yuratchka! Are you listening to me?"

I sat in a stunned silence as my eyes burned. _I just talked to Dedushka yesterday! He was fine! What the hell could have happened?_ I thought as my mind raced.

I didn't even hear Beka pick up my phone to talk to my mother, I was still in shock. My mind snapped back to reality just as I heard him say, "Yes, we will be there. Thank you for letting us know."

We sat in silence after Beka hung up the phone. "Yura, we have to go back. It is what he would have wanted," he said quietly as he wrapped his arms around me.

My eyes began to burn as hot tears cascaded down my face. "I know," I croaked, as I silently sobbed in Beka's arms.

One week later

We were all seated in the front row in St. Basil's Cathedral, Dedushka's favorite church to take mass on Sunday's.

Beka and I were seated with Chris, Viktor, Katsudon and the rest of the international skaters that had come to support us; I had refused to be seated with my mother and the rest of the family.

"Nikolai Plisetsky was many things: an avid fisherman, a cook, a lover of the arts, but most of all, he was a passionate fan of international ice skating. He loved watching his grandson, Yuratchka Plisetsky compete," Father Ilya Kliment began, turning to face me, his eyes full of compassion.

I stood and squeezed my way down the pew, unable to hear anymore. "Where are you going? _Sit down_!" my mother hissed, grabbing my wrist. I wrenched my wrist from her grip and ran from the church.

I ran until my legs could no longer carry me. I didn't care where I ended up, so long as it was far away from the church and my lying banshee of a mother. My feet must have known where I needed to go, because when I looked up, I was at the practice rink.

I ran up the steps two at a time and burst through the doors. Yakov had worked out a deal with Svetlana, the rink's owner, to give us all keys so we could practice at any time when we were in town.

I stumbled to the locker room, and, after chucking my sneakers into my locker, slammed the door furiously.

I headed to the open practice arena, and, after skipping through my Ipod, found the song that I was looking for, _Give Me a Sign_ by the American band Breaking Benjamin, a recommendation by Leo De La Iglesia.

I glided to the center of the arena as the music filtered through the speaker system.

 _Dead star shine  
Light up the sky  
I'm all out of breath  
My walls are closing in_

 _I'm sorry, Dedushka. I'm sorry I couldn't stay to listen to how much of a good man you were. The walls were closing in on me, and I couldn't breathe,_ I thought as I glided in time with the music.

I launched off the ice, landing the Quadruple Loop with little effort, much as I had done countless times in competition.

 _Days go by  
Give me a sign  
Come back to the end  
The shepherd of the damned_

 _I didn't even realize how fast the days had gone by since I had talked to you last. Please give me a sign that you are still with me, that this is all just a damned bad dream. Come back, Dedushka. Please come back to me!_ I silently pleaded, my eyes beginning to burn.

 _I can feel you falling away_

 _I thought it was my imagination, when I felt you slowly start to slip away. First it was forgetting what sport I compete in, then it progressed to forgetting how to write your address. And then forgetting my name. Now I know my intuition was trying to tell me something, something that I refused to listen to,_ I thought as I gained momentum.

Flashback

 _I walked up the stairs and down the halls towards Dedushka's apartment, my headphones over my ears and my hands buried deep in my pockets. I paused to take my headphones off and then, after stuffing unceremoniously into my bag, raised my fist to knock._

 _Suddenly the door flung open, and in the doorway, stood the only person on this earth that gave a damn about me: my Dedushka, Nikolai Plisetsky. "Ah, Yuratchka! Please, come in!" he said, grinning as I entered his apartment._

" _Hi Dedushka! It has been a while!" I said, hugging him tightly before flopping down into the recliner by the balcony. "What smells so amazing?"_

 _Grinning over his shoulder, he said, "you are just in time, I wasn't sure what I was going to do with all these Katsudon_ _pirozhki_ _, but now I know exactly who would want to share them with. I know they are your favorite, after all."_

 _My stomach growled loudly, as he handed me a plate of two huge pirozhki's. "You're the best! Wait, how did you know I was coming today?" I asked, as I dove into mine._

" _Ah, Yura, you come everyday!" Dedushka grinned as he set his plate down on the arm table next to him to pick up an envelope._

" _What's that, Dedushka?" I asked through a mouthful of food, staring at the envelope in his hand._

" _It's a letter to your cousin Yasmina, but confound it, I forgot how to write her address out. It really stinks to get old, Yura," Dedushka said, smiling sadly at the envelope in his hand._

 _I could feel my heart sink through the floor. This is exactly how it started with Babushka. For the remainder of the visit, I sat silently as Dedushka told me about his outing with some of the other men in the building._

One month later

 _I walked down the hall towards Dedushka's apartment, eager to see him, especially after our last visit. Taking my headphones off once more and stuffing them into my bag, I raised my fist to knock._

 _After a moment, the door opened. "Ah hello! How are you this afternoon?" Dedushka asked, standing back as I entered. "I'm sorry, what was your name again?"_

 _Choking back the rising bile in my throat, I said, "my name is Yuri." I set my bag down on the floor next to me._

" _Ah, Yuri, that's right! It's so good to see you!" Dedushka said as he sat down in his favorite chair._

 _It was then that I realized just how fast this damned disease was taking him away from me._

I launched off the ice, landing the perfected Quadruple Axel I had watched Katsudon and Vitya land so many times before.

 _No longer the lost  
No longer the same  
And I can see you starting to break_

 _You weren't the same man that raised me after that lying harlot left me behind. I could see you slowly start to break each time I went to see you,_ I thought.

 _I'll keep you alive  
If you show me the way  
Forever, and ever_

 _I could have kept you alive, Dedushka, I could have. You could have showed me how to care for you. I would have given up skating forever to take care of you,_ I thought as my eyes burned.

 _The scars will remain  
I'm falling apart  
Leave me here forever in the dark_

 _I am falling apart without you, Dedushka. I don't give a damn about anything anymore, not even skating. Nothing is important anymore without you,_ I thought as hot tears cascaded down my face, unable to hold them back any longer.

I launched off the ice as the music hit its apex and landed the Quadruple Lutz as though it were nothing.

 _Daylight dies  
Blackout the sky_

 _Daylight is gone, and the sky is dark without you, Dedushka. You took the light with you when you left this world,_ I thought, as I launched off the ice, landing another complex combination like it was child's play.

 _Does anyone care?  
Is anybody there?  
Take this life_

 _Is there anyone left that gives a damn about me? Is there anyone out there at all? This life is meaningless,_ I thought as I skated in time with the music.

 _Empty inside  
I'm already dead  
I'll rise to fall again_

 _I'm dead and empty inside, there is no point in pursuing skating anymore. The higher I will rise, the more I will crash and burn,_ I thought bitterly, as I launched off the ice. I landed my now-famous Quadruple Axel, the same one that cemented the gold medal at last year's Grand Prix Finals.

 _Just give me a sign  
There's something buried in the words  
Give me a sign  
Your tears are adding to the flood_

 _Give me a sign you are still here with me, Dedushka. Just a small sign is all that I ask, so that I know I'm not alone,_ I thought as hot tears poured down my face once more.

 _Forever, and ever  
The scars will remain_

I glided to a stop as the music faded away. Unable to hold back my emotion, I dropped to my knees as hot tears poured down my face.

"Yura!" Beka shouted, his voice echoing in the silent arena as he ran onto the ice, dropping to his knees. "Oh, Yura, _artisan-im_!" He wrapped his strong arms around me as I sobbed.

We stayed in the center of the rink for a while, as Beka rocked me back and forth in his arms. I sobbed until I was hoarse, pouring every emotion I was feeling onto the ice.

Slowly, I felt Beka stand up, dragging me with him. "Come, Yura, we must be getting back," Beka said gently, as he loosened his grip.

I flung my arms around him, squeezing him tightly. "Thank you, Beka, for everything. For teaching me when it is like to have a friend, for teaching me how to have healthy competition, but most importantly, for teaching me to love," I mumbled in his ear.

I could feel him grin into my shoulder. "Anytime, Yura, anytime," he whispered as he kissed me. _I'm not alone after all. Dedushka sent Beka to me,_ I thought as Beka wiped the tears from my face.

Together we walked back towards St. Basil's Cathedral, my spirit slightly renewed.

* * *

Translations

 _Aristan-im_ : my lion (Kazakh)

 _zvezda moya_ : my star (Russian)

Dedushka-Grandfather (Russian)

Babushka-grandmother (Russian)

Ilya- Yaweh is my God (Russian)

Kliment-Full of mercy (Russian)

* * *

 **Author's Notes:** _Yurio's grandfather's signs of Dementia are based off of one of my grandfather, who is in the 2nd stages of Dementia & __Alzheimer's_


	16. Space Between

_Space Between-Descendants 2 (Viktor POV) I don't own Yuri on Ice, nor do I own the song "Space Between" from Decnendants Two. I advise you to read this one at your own discretion...it may contain triggers for those who have suffered emotional trauma. Enjoy :)_

* * *

I was standing on the balcony of our home, overlooking the ocean, Maccachin sitting by my side. He hadn't left my side since coming home from the ER the night of the…after the horrific night at the club that shook me to my core.

 _I can't believe it has been a month already, and they still haven't caught him. Where the hell could he have gone?_ I thought angrily as the thin golden ring on my finger caught the sunset.

To cut the deafening silence, I had turned the radio in my office on…anything to dispel the silence that threatened to drive me mad.

"Up next is 'Space Between' by Sofia Carson & Dove Cameron," the DJ announced as the gentle music filtered through the speakers. I closed my eyes and listened to the lyrics, the words striking a chord with me.

"There you are, Aibou," said a gentle voice behind me. I turned to face my husband, the man I loved most in this world: Yuri Nikiforov. "What are you doing out here?"

I smiled as he joined me at the railing. "I was just thinking about…that night," Yuri said as his voice cracked. My eyes narrowed. "Lyubov moya, they _will_ find the monster that did this to you! The police nor I will _stop_ until he has been brought to justice!" I growled as I clenched my fist.

Gently, Yuri took my hands. "Aibou, I know the police will find him. Just as I know you will protect me," Yuri whispered, as he took my chin gently in his hands.

"Lyubov moya, are you going to be ok if I leave for a bit? I will be back in an hour, I promise you," I said as I grabbed my jacket. Smiling, he replied, "yes, Aibou, I will be here."

At the rink

"Free skate is over for the season, come back another time," said a bored voice from the office as I walked through the glass doors.

"Oh, I'm sorry, Yuko-chan, I completely forgot," I said, as I turned towards the door.

"Ah, Viktor, I should have known that voice! How is Yuri-kun doing?" Yuko-chan asked, concern in her voice.

I shook my head. "He is as well as can be expected. He still has nightmares, flashbacks of what that…but each day he is getting stronger. He has meetings with his therapist," I said.

"Yuri-kun is strong, especially with you at his side. The rink is yours Viktor," Yuko-chan said, smiling as she hugged me. "Thank you for being a rock for Yuri-kun to lean on."

"I love Yuri with all my heart, and I will do anything in my power for him," I mumbled as I headed towards the locker room.

In the locker room

I sat down on one of the benches, kicking off my shoes. I opened my locker, stopping for a second to stare at the photos I had taped to the door.

After silently stretching and tightening my laces, I stood and headed for the arena, my Ipod in my hand.

In the arena

"Viktor, it's great to see you! How is Yuri-kun doing?" Lutz asked, her eyes full of concern.

"He is doing as well as can be expected, though I do worry about him. He is still having nightmares, he sits up all night, he is scared out of his wits to go out anywhere, worried that the one who attacked him will come after him again," I said as my heart constricted in my chest.

"Yuri-kun is the strongest man I know. I am just thankful he has you by his side," Lutz said as her voice cracked.

Silently, I handed her my Ipod. "Can you plug this in for me and cue the music when I give you the signal?" I asked quietly.

Lutz sniffed and wiped her eyes. "Definitely, I can," she said.

I glided to the center of the ice. "Ok, Lutz, whenever you are ready," I called.

"Ok!" Lutz said as she pressed play.

I closed my eyes as the music filtered through the speakers. I let the music take over my body, and, as I glided to a stop, the arena burst into applause.

"VIKTOR THAT WAS BEAUTIFUL!" Yuko-chan shrieked, tears pouring down her face.

Nishigori stood silent, a pillar of strength. He wiped his eyes with a sniff, and said, "Yuri-kun will love what you have put together for him."

 _I can only hope so,_ I thought, as I glided over to the rail, wiping my eyes on my sleeve. My mind immediately went to Yuri, and what his reaction would be when he saw what I had put together for him.

One month later

"Welcome ice skating fans to the beginning of another season! We are coming to you live from the Kyushu Regional Competition, where the best and brightest stars from all over the world have gathered to fight for a spot in the Four Continents Global Competition on the road to the Grand Prix Finals," said Takamura Sanoske.

"That's right, Sanoske-san! We have been watching the skaters warm up all morning. The judges sure have a tough job ahead of them," said Saiyuku Yuki.

"Rumor has it that Viktor Nikiforov will be appearing in this competition with a special program he designed," Yuki-san said.

"Yes, Yuki-san. I heard he designed his free skate program as a tribute to Yuri Nikiforov. It will be interesting indeed to see what he has created," Sanoske-san said.

I tuned out the mumblings of the commentators, stretching as my mind raced. "Aibou, are you alright?" Yuri asked, kneeling next to me.

"Yes, lyubov moya, I'm fine, I'm just focusing," I said, smiling.

Gently, he took my chin in his hand. "Aibou, you are a five-time world champion. I have all the faith in the world that you will blow them away," Yuri said, smiling that beautiful smile I hadn't seen in months, kissing my forehead.

"Representing Japan, Viktor Nikiforov," Sanoske-san announced as the crowd thundered in applause.

My heart lurched in my chest as we made our way to the railing. Smiling, Yuri bent to tighten my laces and, as he stood up, whispered the same advice that I give to him before every competition.

"Remember, Aibou, pretend that the crowd isn't here. Pretend that this arena is empty, just like the one at home. Skate for yourself, and skate for me," he whispered in my ear.

I pulled him close, hugging him tightly. "Don't ever take your eyes off me," I whispered, kissing him before I took to the ice.

I stood in the center of the ice, my eyes closed and my mind racing. The music filtered through the speakers, shattering the silence.

"Viktor is skating to 'Space Between' by Sofia Carson & Dove Cameron," Yuki-san mumbled as a hush descended on the crowd.

"That's right Yuki-san. In his interview, Viktor told me that he designed this program as a tribute to his husband Yuri-kun," muttered Sanoske-san as the music filtered through the speakers.

 _I didn't know what you were going through  
I thought that you were fine  
Why did you have to hide?  
I didn't want to let you down  
But the truth is out  
It's tearing me apart, not listening to my heart_

 _I should have known you weren't ok. I had no idea what you were going through, reliving that hellish night over and over again. I should have listened to my gut and gone with you that night. I should have protected you,_ I thought. _Lyubov moya, I beg you, forgive me._

 _I really had to go  
And I would never stop you  
Even though it changed  
Nothing has to change_

"First up is a Triple Lutz, Triple Axel," Yuki-san muttered, perched at the edge of her seat.

I launched off the ice, spinning flawlessly. "And he nails the combination! Perfection!" Sanoske-san exclaimed as the crowd cheered.

Flashback

 _It was midnight, and I was sitting in at my desk in the office, furiously typing away at my keyboard when I heard a blood-curdling scream. I jumped up, my chair flying back and flew down the hall._

" _Lyubov moya! Lyubov moya! It's me! Its Viktor! I'm here!" I said, clutching Yuri as he thrashed in his sleep._

" _NO, STOP! LEAVE ME ALONE! PLEASE!" Yuri screamed, thrashing to get away from me. "Yuri! Yuri! Wake up! It's me! It's Viktor!" I said, gently shaking him._

 _Yuri's eyes, at last, flew open. He looked wildly around our bedroom, and when he only saw me, he finally started to relax, his eyes brimming with tears. "Oh, lyubov moya," I said, holding him in my arms as he sobbed._

The next day, at the rink

" _Aibou, I have decided, I am leaving skating for good. I am retiring," Yuri mumbled, staring at the ice as his voice cracked. "Please, don't be angry with me, Aibou. I know this changes many things we had already put in place."_

 _My heart shattered. I knew how much Yuri loved the world of ice skating, but I could never force him to stay, especially when he was still suffering from horrific trauma._

" _I am not angry, lyubov moya. Nothing will ever change. I will never stop you from following your heart," I said as I kissed his forehead._

I blinked back tears as I pushed the memory from my mind.

 _And you can find me in the space between  
Where two worlds come to meet  
I'll never be out of reach  
'Cause you're a part of me so you can find me in the space between  
You'll never be alone  
No matter where you go  
We can meet in the space between_

"Here comes another combination! His signature Quadruple Flip!" Yuki-san said excitedly, her breath catching in her chest.

I launched myself off the ice, spinning and landing flawlessly. "HE LANDS THE COMBINATION! HE MIGHT HAVE JUST SECURED HIS PLACE IN THE WORLD COMPETITION WITH THAT MOVE!" roared Sanoske-san as the crowd thundered in applause.

 _And nothing can stay the same  
It's growing pains  
Be proud of all the scars  
They make you who you are (oh, woah)_

 _Yuri, my love. While I know that you have suffered great trauma, know these scars will fade with time. This trauma will be a faded memory,_ I thought as I made eye-contact with Yuri, silently sending him a message.

Flashback

" _You know, you don't have to stay with me. You deserve someone who is whole, not a soiled has-been," Yuri mumbled one night, staring at a spot on the floor._

 _My heart lurched in my chest. "Yuri Nikiforov: I am not going anywhere. I don't care how long it takes, I will never leave you. It doesn't matter that things are going to be different for a while. This too shall pass with time," I said as I wrapped my arms around him. I felt his chest shake as he began to sob._

 _I know you have to stay  
But I'll never really leave you  
Nothing has to change even though it changed_

 _I will never leave you, Yuri Nikiforov. You are the love of my life,_ I thought as hot tears cascaded down my face.

"Here comes his last combination, a Quadruple Flip, Quadruple Salcow! Can he do it?" Yuki-san muttered as she crowd held its breath.

I launched off the ice, spinning and landing without a flaw. "AND HE LANDS THE COMBINATION! HE JUST SECURED HIS PLACE IN THE WORLD COMPATITION!" roared Sanoske-san as he sniffed and wiped the tears from his eyes.

 _There are no words left to say  
I know you gotta find your place  
But this is not the end (no)  
You're part of who I am  
Even if we're worlds apart  
You're still in my heart it will always be you and me, yeah_

 _I know you must find your place in this world, and even if you never return to skating again. You will always have a place here, just as you will always hold a place in my heart, and the hearts of the skating community,_ I thought.

 _You can find me in the space between  
Where two worlds come to meet  
I'll never be out of reach (I'll never be out of reach) no  
'Cause you're a part of me so you can find me in the space between  
You'll never be alone  
No matter where you go  
We can meet in the space between, yeah_

 _You will never be alone, Lyubov moya. No matter what happens, we will always be together,_ I thought as I glided to a stop, my hand extended towards Yuri.

You could hear a pin drop before the crowd exploded in applause as I dropped to my knees, tears pouring down my face.

"ANOTHER STUNNING PERFORMANCE FROM VIKTOR NIKIFOROV!" roared Sanoske-san as he sniffed and wiped his eyes again.

I stood, taking my bow and leaving the ice. My mind was racing, I was desperate to get off the ice and back to Yuri, the only person in the rink that mattered most to me.

"Viktor! Care to give us an interview?" a reporter asked, shoving her microphone in my face. "I will address your questions later," I said coolly, as I walked past the reporters, who were shouting after me.

Yuri threw himself into my arms, sobbing into my shoulder. "Aibou, that was incredible!" he sobbed. I silently wrapped my arms around him, squeezing him tightly.

We moved to the staging area to wait for my scores. "And the scores for Viktor Nikiforov are in…A PERFECT SCORE! VIKTOR HAS TAKEN A TRAGEDY AND TURNED IT INTO A BEAUTIFUL SHOW OF STRENGTH!" roared Sanoske-san as the crowd erupted.

I took to the ice again, this time to receive my medal.

After the competition was over, Yuri and I headed home.

"Aibou, I have decided: I am coming back. I am coming back to skating….if you will still have me," Yuri mumbled, as he stopped walking.

Shocked, I turned to face him. "Are you sure you don't need more time to cope, lyubov moya?" I asked.

Yuri finally met my gaze, determination glittering in those eyes I loved so much. "No. I am ready to make my comeback. I am ready to get back to skating," he said.

Silently, I took him in my arms. "You have no idea how long I have waited to hear you say those words, lyubov moya," I whispered, as tears once more cascaded down my face.

"Thank you, Aibou. Thank you for not giving up on me," he whispered. I smiled and kissed his forehead, the last few words of my Free Program song echoing in my mind.

 _You can find me in the space between_

* * *

Translations:

lyubov Moya-My love (Russian)


End file.
